AIME’s Event Director, Silke Calder shares her thoughts about the benefits of in-person events, and why networking in real life is invaluable to event planners and their delegates.

Would love to hear others’ thoughts – have you found this too?

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It’s no secret there’s a lot of value in meeting with people in person, as opposed to communicating remotely. But why? What makes face-to-face interactions so important?

It all comes down to the psychological impact of being in the same room as someone else.

When you’re physically present with someone, you can make eye contact, read each other’s body language, get a sense of how they feel about your conversation—and vice versa. You can pick up on nonverbal cues that help you determine whether your message is getting across effectively. And this sort of feedback helps you adjust on the fly when necessary to ensure better outcomes for both parties involved in the interaction.

Here are some examples:

• Your counterpart might nod their head while you’re talking, indicating they agree with what you’re saying or that they’re interested in learning more about what you’re discussing – a subtle indication that you should keep going, that you have found mutual territory.
• By the same token, if they cross their arms or aren’t engaging while you are speaking, perhaps it’s time to change topic or ask another question. 

These subtle cues all help to build trust, which forms the basis of every meaningful relationship. 

The most effective way to build trust? Face-to-face communication.

When you meet someone in person, they get to see the real you—not just what you put on your LinkedIn profile, or what they see when they browse through your website. They get to hear your voice, and see how you interact with others, and learn about your passions and interests… all things that help them get an overall sense of who YOU really are, and what makes you a great event planner or supplier. 

When we network in person, we feel seen by one another… and when we feel seen by one another, we’re more likely to open up about our needs and wants, which means better business outcomes for everyone. 

If you’d like to mix with some of the world’s best event planners, venues and experience providers join me at AIME 2023 as a Hosted Buyer. 

Hosted Buyers receive a full VIP package including travel and accommodation, attendance at the Melbourne Convention Bureau’s Uncover Melbourne experience, tickets to the highly anticipated Knowledge Program, and a place at the party of the year; AIME’s Welcome Event. 

As a Hosted Buyer you also take full advantage of our bespoke AI appointment scheduling software, so you can leave AIME knowing you have met with the suppliers who are of most interest to your delegates and their needs. 

But don’t just take my word for it. Paula Rowntree is the Head of Events at the Australian Psychological Society and founder of The Business Events Network and has attended AIME as a Hosted Buyer in the past. In Paula’s words, visiting AIME ‘is a chance to re-set, to connect, to strengthen your networks and to set your intentions and focus for the year ahead.’

Couldn’t have said it better myself. 

Hosted Buyer registrations are now open on the AIME website until December 13, 2022.