SXSW Interactive
I was extremely excited to attend SXSW this year, my first year. My enthusiasm was driven by one thing, the people. I always love meeting new people, especially in social media and technology, but there is a short list of people with which I really wanted to have conversations at Southby. Meeting and having good conversations with people is the highlight of any conference for me.
A lot of the lessons I would pass along from SXSW are the same lessons I practice with all the networking that I do. And that pretty much sums up what I think is the number one benefit of SXSW, it is purely super networking.
Erin Crabb of Whrrl, Wayne Sutton, Kip Bodnar, Vik Duggal
It’s About the People
I honestly was not at SXSW for any of the structured content. The few sessions I did attend, I went to because of the people I knew would be there. Having said that, some of the sessions were much better than I expected, but I think I lucked out. I heard a lot of dissapointment from others regarding some of the panels and discussions.
Beyond the business connections you want to make, I think you really have to enjoy meeting new people to get the most out of an event like SXSW. I met so many people that I know I will stay in touch with and I formed a bond with many in one way or another. Getting to know so many good hearted and smart people is a rare opportunity.
It’s About Giving
If you can help others, do it. If you know people that you think should know each other, make it a point to introduce them. It is almost something that goes without saying for me, but many people are not natural connectors and miss these opportunities. People remember connectors.
It’s About Access
Over 5,000 people attended SXSW. And while there were about 20 people I really wanted to meet, I would have never been able to really interact with many of those people without a couple key things falling into place. And while Soutby would have been a blast either way, there are a few things you can do to maxamize the experience.
- Get there Early – A good motto for almost any setting, getting there early lets you scout things out, be more prepared than others, and make sure you do not miss anything. At Southby, the night before everything really started happening was one of the best nights to meet people with fewer distractions and chaos in the surroundings. It also allows you to start relationships with people that will pay off for the rest of the event.
- Know the Hideaways – Two of the best places to be at SXSW were the Pepsi Podcast Playground and the Bloggers Lounge. Both were pretty publicized and open to everyone, but both could be a little intimidating. The key is to have confidence, know you belong, and meet and many people as possible.I saw a lot of people casually move in and out of these locations or pass them by completely.
- Know the Connectors – The difference between introducing yourself to someone and being introduced is massive. It is about passing along trsut. I myself can be this type of connecter in many situations and I love introducing quality people to each other. But in order to meet and have quality discussions with people, I had a lot of help. Make sure you build as many of these relationships as possible before an event like SXSW.
Its About Creating Stories
As with any trip it is important to role with whatever happens and make it work. If you stay positive and look for the opportunities, you will have a good time and make some good stories. My trip to Austin could have easily focused on the negatives. It was expensive, the weather sucked for most of the week, I was sick the whole time, and my flight home was delayed. But I hesitate to even mention the negatives, because it is not what I remember. What I remember are the great conversations and the stories.
- I remember Greg Cangialosi feeling not too sure about our rik shaw driver
- I remember our hotel bartender asking if Twitter was a drug and then us convincing her to sign up for it
- I remember sneaking into VIP for the Mashable party
- I remember late night talks over free Margaritas (sponsored by @ChrisBrogan and Microsoft)
- I remember the only reason I got to meet Rebecca Corliss of Hubspot was because our flight was delayed.
- I remember staying up til 3am closing down the Hyatt bar with @JuliaRoy and @BrianCary
- I remember the unexpected popularity of my cowboy hat, currently in New Hampshire with @CMajor (note the avatar)
I coud go on, but suffice it to say, I have a lot to remember.
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