South By South West Festival, one of the key dates on the tech calendar, kicks off in a few short days in Austin, Texas. This year will once again see a host of London businesses and entrepreneurs flocking to the US to learn, collaborate and network, building on the strong ties between London and Austin which saw a delegation from the Texan state capital visit the UK earlier this year on a fact-finding mission to Tech City. Visitors to SXSW 2012 will include the 40 businesses who are part of UKTI’s mission to the event this year (you can follow them on Twitter @uktiatsxsw) – below are some networking tips from Diana Lowe, native Texan, SXSW veteran, and founder of Switched On Development…

Well folks, it’s that time of year again . . . SXSW Time!! Last year was an absolute blast and this year promises to be even bigger and better.

Year after year British and European Tech entrepreneurs and start-ups flock to Austin, Texas to share and learn about what’s happening in the world of Technology, Film and Music. Because there are so many talks, lectures, activities, parties and events to attend it is easy to get lost and lose focus. So here are some simple steps you can take to make the most of your time and energy.

1. Know what you want before you go – Start with a purpose. Why are you going? What do you want to accomplish? Who do you want to connect with? Keeping your eye on the prize will help you decide where to go, what to do and who to keep in contact with.
2. Get the SXSW app – The app has loads of information, and you are able to plan ahead and bookmark events you want to attend! Ensuring that you won’t miss any lectures, films, parties or networking events! Alternatively, if you like, when you turn up and collect your badge you can get a guide that has all of the SXSW events that are going on.
3. Join Groups before you go – You can do this physically or virtually. Start a conversation on a LinkedIn group to see who is going. Check out Meetup.com to find out what’s happening. This one is especially good if you are going on your own.
4. Watch Your Brand – Since you are an ambassador for your company you must be sure to properly represent your brand. For most people going to SXSW is a work event. There are all kind of eyes watching you so if you don’t do it in your office steer clear from doing it at any events.This is important for networking but also is common sense to protect your business. Because many connections and business deals are made you would not want your actions to ruin a potential deal.
5. Pace yourself – If you are not from Texas (or a place where it is hot) drink loads of water. Coming from London last year, I was dehydrated within a few minutes of landing. In addition, following on from the 4th point – don’t drink too much alcohol. Firstly, for health reasons. Heat + Alcohol = Dehydration. Secondly, I personally never think it is a good idea to drink too much with people you want to do business with. How is this effective for networking? Because if you can’t leave the hotel room to meet people you might as well stay at home.
6. Attend the parties – Even if you are not a party person. This is where a majority of the networking takes place. Last year I remember attending parties and following people right then and there on twitter! It’s a great way to start connecting and will give you a chance to grow the relationship after SXSW.
   

   Picture by Diana Lowe

7. Force yourself to move outside your circle – It’s great if you can attend SXSW with a colleague or maybe even meet up with friends, but be sure to go outside your circles as well. It is very easy to feel comfortable in a group of your colleagues, friends and peers but SXSW is a networking event meet new people!! Coming from the UK or Europe it might feel weird to strike up a conversation with a total stranger, but rest assured Austin is packed full of genuinely friendly people so it will be very easy to start up a conversation.
8. Check out who will be there via social media – It’s a bit of an obvious one but it can be easily overlooked with so much to do. An easy way to do this is follow hashtags of events parties or simply #SXSW.
9. Come armed – I know it’s in Texas . . . so no I don’t mean like that. I mean show up with your business cards, notebook, laptop, swag, stickers or whatever you use to give and capture information. Maybe consider making a special set of business cards that will help you stand out. Remember there are tons of swag bags at SXSW you don’t want your card or item to get thrown in and thrown away.
10. Set some goals – If you are a really shy person make a goal to meet at least 1 new person at each event you attend. If you meet 1 person and they can introduce you to someone else that’s a bonus, right? Networking effectively isn’t about quantity. So if you find it difficult meeting people be sure the people you do meet with are quality. Also, see point 7.
11. Go outside the SXSW events – in Austin there are tons of FREE things going on. For example, last year at Whole Foods Supermarket they had a Live Showcase of Australian Musicians!! And across the street they had another free concert. There is free music everywhere. Even if you decide to eat in a restaurant you can always mingle in the bar! I remember I sat in a hotel lobby and started chatting with a guy about hotel wi-fi from there we had a great 30 minute conversation.
12. Follow up – If you do nothing else . . . please do this!! Follow up instantly if you can. Tweet them, check out their website and make a comment, email them saying it was nice to meet them, connect with them on Flickr, Instagram, Pinterest, Womzit, Facebook, SoundCloud, really where ever you want. You may not instantly follow up with everyone but there will be certain people you hit it off with more than others. The power in networking is in the follow up.

So there you have it. Some tried and tested effective networking techniques. Generally, We do our best networking when people see the real us. We do business with people we know, like and trust. So get to know them, see if you like them and trust will happen over time!

Have an amazing SXSW.

Diana is the Founder of Switched On Development and is passionate about helping others achieve confidence through developing and improving upon their public speaking and communication skills. Diana works with entrepreneurs and start-ups in Technology, helping them to communicate their passion and vision.

Diana has worked with Tech Hub, London Junior Chamber of Commerce, Chartered Management Institute, Women in Management, JADE UK (for young entrepreneurs) and Westminster Business Council and other professional associations to help them understand and develop their pitching, presenting, interpersonal and networking skills.

Diana qualified as a trainer through Europe’s largest HR and development professional body, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). As a trainer Diana runs high energy training sessions with a range of professional groups, young entrepreneurs and business associations.

After living in London, England for the past 8 years Diana has recently relocated to Austin, Texas.