7 Features I Like About Chocolate Blues and Business Networking Festival

The first Indianapolis Chocolate Blues and Business Networking Festival attracted over 2500 business people!  It as the largest new city event in the history of the company.  From there the sky was the limit.  What will help or hinder the event is very simple.

As a 3 time Indianapolis sponsor and 2 time Fort Wayne sponsor, allow me to share 7 features I like about the events:

1. The event and organization is no threat to local companies or other networking organizations

Owner Shelly Rice is from Missouri.  By design she has built a networking event that should be inviting to all without concern she is leveraging the event to establish a local company or networking organization.  Her goal is to come once or twice per year without an ongoing presence in the city. 

Because of this truth individuals and networking organizations have a great opportunity to invite people to enjoy one big networking party to be connectors and be connected, often with others they may otherwise never meet.  This is Networking 101 and should be embraced by all.

2. This is not a "You build it and I will come" event

The marketing of this event fits the goal of the event.  It is all about individuals and organizations learning to be connectors.  Good networkers can build their business via networking.  Great networkers connect their existing contacts with one another and the new people they meet.

Here is the best way I can explain it.  You want to make "new" contacts, correct?  So you look for new events that may provide that opportunity.  Well I want to make new contacts too.  Applying the attribute of a great networker, I want to invite those I already know to an event like Chocolate and Blues so you may have the opportunity to meet some of them.  I do this hoping you will also invite those you already know so that I may have the opportunity to meet them.

If everyone just wants to come and reap the benefits without inviting your own contacts, then this event will fail.  I call on all good networkers to graduate to great.  Invite your contacts to meet you at Chocolate and Blues!

3. No mass advertising

I enjoy the fact that Shelly does little to no mass advertising.  Mass advertising is not wrong, it just is not the best fit for this event.  A networking event should grow via networking, not mass advertising.  That principle applies to anyone who would rather grow their business via networking versus spending large amounts of cash on mass advertising. 

If networking is part of your marketing plan and you want that plan to succeed, you need others telling others about you.  This is exactly what Shelly needs for Chocolate Blues to thrive for YOUR benefit.  

4. Free to attendees

It does not get any easier than inviting someone to a free event.  Just bring your VIP Pass and make new contacts.  No long term commitment, no ongoing monthly fees.  Tell everyone you know about the event and then come to network.

Shelly's revenue comes primarily through the sell of vendor tables.  Many venues will limit that number of tables.  Therefore she spends the limited revenue to create the best possible environment for the money for you to have your own networking event within the main event.  In the past I have used this event as an Anniversary Party.  This year I am creating a  FLASH MOB of my contacts.  This is my event within the event.

5. Vehicle to Manage Your Network

If you are a networker, you will find it more and more difficult to have a personal touch with your contacts.  With a venue created for us, it should be easy for us to have a "reunion" with many of our contacts by asking them to meet us at Chocolate and Blues.  With some planning you can create a way to meet up with those you invite as a way to get caught up and then be that connector.

6. Nothing Else To Buy

How often have you attended an event but the real value only comes when you buy much more?  The value of Chocolate and Blues is only your efforts at the event followed by your own follow up.  Beautiful.

7. Shelly Rice

My absolute favorite part of the event is Shelly.  I love her pure servant's heart.  Also she is willing to try new things and willing to fail.  I am challenged by that.  With Shelly what you see is what you get.  She is not putting on a performance or just executing a strategic plan to be successful.  When you meet Shelly, you are getting the real story.  I love that.

At the end of the day, the success of Chocolate and Blues falls on us to create our own networking event within this one big networking party.  It remains one of the freshest approaches in networking I have seen in a long time.  I hope to see you there.