I’m a strong believer in the power of business dinners and enjoy organizing them in my own city. However, rather than limit them to my hometown, I realized I could extend them to every city I visited. With a little advance planning, I now organize dinners wherever my travels take me. These dinners are not only a wonderful way to reconnect with contacts, but also a fun opportunity for the local guests to meet each other. Here are my steps to creating the perfect networking dinner:

1. Create the ultimate guest list. My contacts move all the time. It’s impossible to know who is living where. To determine who lives in the destination city, I run a LinkedIn search by clicking “Advanced” next to the search bar, and filtering for “1st Connections” and “Location.” This identifies all my contacts in that city. From there, I can easily grab their email addresses or send them an invite message directly through LinkedIn.
2. Expand your network. When visiting a smaller town where my network does not run as deep, I ask my friends to each invite a like-minded friend or someone else in the industry. This helps expand the dinner circle. I’ll also reach out to fellow members in entrepreneurial networks, such as Dreamers and Doers. Finally, if there is someone relevant in the industry who I’ve been meaning to meet, I will email them directly and extend a dinner invitation.
3. Send the invite. Aim to send the invitation three weeks before the dinner date. Doing this any earlier means people might be unsure of their schedule, and if left too late, they may have already made commitments. Not all invitees will be able to attend. If you are aiming for a four person group, invite six people. If you are going for six people, invite nine or ten. If your goal is to maintain one group conversation, then plan for six guests: Six is the maximum number before one group will split into multiple side conversations.
4. Select the perfect venue. Finding the right venue is critical to a successful dinner. First, the location should be central and convenient. Second, it should have a fun atmosphere, but be quiet enough that people can hear across the table. The menu should vary and feature food options for those with dietary restrictions. Try to pick a restaurant with $15-to-$25 entrees, so price points will not deter anyone from attending. Finally, make a reservation. In the U.S., it’s easiest to use a combination of OpenTable and Yelp to find a restaurant that fits the bill. In other countries, Google Places, Facebook Places, a hotel concierge or a local friend might be better resources. Search for OpenTable reservations in the desired neighborhoods and price range. Look at the photos, descriptions and menus of the top results, and then double check the user reviews on Yelp. OpenTable reviews tend to skew positive, so it’s essential to do a second check on another source before booking.
5. Send a calendar invite. After the date, time, and venue are confirmed, send a calendar invite. Many people live off their calendars. If the event is not on their schedule, it does not exist. Save everyone time by sending a properly formatted calendar invite with the restaurant address, your phone numbers, and any other pertinent information.
6. Confirm two days before. Two days before the dinner, send a confirmation email reminding the guests of the upcoming dinner. Reiterate the address and your contact information, and remind them to inform you if they are no longer able to attend. At this point, 10-20 percent of people will typically tell you that their plans have changed. Knowing this allows you to update your restaurant reservations accordingly.
7. Introduce everyone and enjoy. As the host of the dinner, start off the dinner with introductions. Feel free to mix the personal with the professional and dig below the surface of common banalities. You can do this by inviting each guest to share one personal and one professional experience happening in their lives. This will help kick off the discussion and bring everyone closer together.

Nothing can compare to the deep and powerful connections made breaking bread together, and these connections can even happen even outside of your hometown. Now, whenever you have a business trip, consider hosting a networking dinner to bring together like-minded people.

Serving before you sell is important, yes. But going to extremes should really only be reserved for people who you know feel comfortable receiving such favors. That said, there are plenty of ways to work your network so you can make your network work for you — without making anyone feel remotely uncomfortable.

Make One New Introduction a Week

Most likely, everyone in your network does not know everyone else in your personal network. It’s also highly likely that the people who don’t know each other could benefit from meeting. Making those introductions is a great way to become known as a connector and someone who’s readily willing to help out (without creating any feelings of unease or discomfort).

The introductions might turn into something productive, and they might not. That’s not the point as much as it is staying top-of-mind as an influential member of other peoples’ networks.

Use a CRM to Stay in Touch

You probably already use a CRM to manage your lists of customers, potential customers, leads, etc. And you should continue to do so. But most CRMs have a setting where you can add a contact and set how often you want to be in touch with that person. For most people in your network, especially if you want to make sure that you’ll stay top-of-mind, it’s a good idea to keep in touch once every 30 days. Have your CRM notify you if and when you’re overdue.

Make Your Business Card Stand Out

In a world where being ignored — even by a complete stranger — hurts our self-esteem, being noticed is a huge boost that helps us feel important and worthwhile. 

Once you’ve had a great conversation with someone important, don’t let them forget who you are. In general, once everyone has left an event, they’re going to have a huge stack of business cards. I know I have a hard time remembering who each business card belongs to, and what conversation we had. That’s why on my business cards, I have a headshot and a few words describing what my company does.

As simple as this may sound, it’s paid huge dividends for me and has helped me land deals that otherwise wouldn’t have happened.

Ask for Introductions

If you’re at an event where you don’t know many people, ask one or two people in the room you do know for an introduction. The people you already know will make sure it’s someone that actually makes sense for you to talk to. You’d be surprised how much people are willing to help if you just ask them sincerely. I’ve had people introduce me to CXO-level executives of Fortune 500 companies just because I asked them nicely.

Send Gifts

Sending someone in your network a gift is a gesture that goes far and beyond a typed-out “thanks” on LinkedIn. It catches people off guard. Books, flowers, or relatively inexpensive food delivery are all good options. 

When you do something truly unexpected, you’ll be remembered no matter what. But when you do something that’s both unexpected and provides value to the person, you’ll be remembered in only the most positive light, and they’ll look to repay the favor from a place of kindness rather than obligation.

If you’re in the software business like myself, you’re rarely dealing with anything physically tangible, so getting something I can touch really stands out. I’ve had companies who have tried winning me over as a customer send me handwritten notes, t-shirts, boxes of energy drinks for the team, coffee, etc. And each time it puts a smile on my face. As a result, I feel much more connected to that company, leading to a much higher chance of me working with them because I know they’re willing to go above and beyond for their customers.

Forget “Working the Room”

There’s a fair amount of networking advice that tells you to plan your exits before you even start talking to people so you can work the room and get your business cards out to as many people as possible. And while you might have to plan your exit so you can make a quick escape if you get caught talking to someone unhelpful, this piece of advice is best if forgotten — especially if you’re the kind of person who wants the people you meet to remember you for a long time.

Establishing a solid, meaningful relationship with just one person is better than having a mini pitch-fest with 10 different people who won’t care about you two days from now. 

Trying too hard to provide value to someone you’ve just met upfront is off-putting. People appreciate help. But if you’re overly eager, it will raise suspicion and make them wonder what the catch is. So instead of going too far out of your way (which would take up a ton of your time and energy anyway), try these approaches to become remembered as a connector, a value provider, and an influencer.

What’s the best way to use the Instagram Story tool for your brand? The most important thing is to just dive in and give it a try. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? It disappears in 24 hours, right?

Here are a few pointers to get you started. Always remember that every brand and account is different. Analyze your own data (views and clicks) to see what content resonates with your audience the most, and adjust your digital strategy accordingly.

1. Make it consecutive and consistent. They’re called stories for a reason. When you’re thinking about what content you want to post on your Story, don’t think about it as a bunch of random separate posts. Think about what message you want to convey your audience. It’s like a television series: Each “episode” needs to stand on its own, but there should be an underlying theme across each piece of content. Whenever my company is on site with one of our clients at a concert, we try to do everything we can to capture the entire essence of the event. We start with the content of the artist and fans getting pumped up before the artist hits the stage. We make sure we get the opening and closing songs (plus some good stuff in between), and then maybe post a video and video from the after party. It really captures the essence of the whole day, rather than just a few random posts from the concert.
2. Think about your first impression. When it comes to Instagram Stories, the post you upload to kick off your Story matters a lot. If your first post doesn’t catch somebody’s eye, they’re not going to watch the rest of your Story. I highly recommend adding a video as the piece of content in your Story, as this is often the best way to grab somebody’s attention. When analyzing data, we’ve found that more people go on to watch your second post within a Story when the first thing they see is a video.
3. Switch it up. When you’re putting together a Story, a good way to keep it interesting is to alternate between using different types of media. Keeping your Story all pictures or all videos can make it a little monotonous. Kick it off with a video, but then add some still photos, Boomerangs, and maybe throw in a slow motion shot to keep it interesting.
4. Find the sweet spot. How many pieces of content should you put in your Story? This is a question I get a lot, and I always recommend 8-12 pieces of content per day/Story. This can vary slightly depending on what you’re programming, but it’s important to always remember quality over quantity. Don’t ever post a piece of content just because you’re trying to reach a certain number of posts.
5. Use links sparingly. A lot of people don’t realize this, but if you have a verified account, you can actually link out to an external website from your Stories. You don’t want to use the link tool in every single post, but this is a great way to drive people to watch a full video, read a full article, or purchase a product in your store. Make sure to make it clear to your users that they need to “swipe up” — or they won’t know there’s a link integrated into the post. This link tool is magical though. I’ve seen it bump a single up on the iTunes charts several times even within the last 30 days. It’s been great for boosting sales in our client’s online stores as well.

Instagram Stories have already proven to be such an incredible tool for our clients, and this is only the beginning. Imagine where it will be in the next few months! I’m highly anticipating what tools are going to be released next, as each one will inspire us all with an endless list of new ideas on how to better connect with and monetize a digital audience.

With statistics like these, I’m surprised you haven’t stopped reading this article and started filming. As an agency CEO, I often hear that many business owners aren’t sure what to film or they simply do not have the time. Therefore, I’ve created a list of five different video ideas and ways to incorporate them into your own marketing strategy. Bonus: They won’t take up hours and hours of your time.

Video Blog

I actually find creating video blogs can be more time-efficient than writing them. This gives business owners the opportunity to share their knowledge on film. My suggestion is to write out the five most common questions you get from your customers and create one video per question. The videos do not have to be long; they simply have to answer the question at hand.

Film six or 10 questions at a time (maybe even more). This way, you can schedule a video blog once a week and you won’t have to film so often. (Hint: Just make sure to bring a change of clothes so it doesn’t look like you wear the same thing every day!)

Make sure to upload all of your videos on your business YouTube channel. Include a headline, a detailed description and tagged keywords. This will assist with your SEO efforts. Additionally, when posting on Facebook, be sure to include captions on your videos. Eighty-five percent of videos viewed on Facebook are watched without sound. In order to add captions, you need to make an SRT file and upload the file to your video. Facebook provides an easy-to-use tutorial for this.

Facebook Live

You’ve probably heard about Facebook Live. It’s exactly what it sounds like — a live video on Facebook. This is a great platform to showcase your business in an authentic light.

Prepare ahead of time. Before going live, think about your goals. What do you want to accomplish with this video? What do you hope your followers will take from it? A restaurant owner, for example, might showcase a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into prepping meals. In this case, it’d be important to discuss the details of the recipe and provide viewers a tour of the kitchen.

Additionally, to increase video traffic and engagement, make sure to communicate with your audience when you’ll be going live. Set a date and time so that followers can watch as the video is being broadcasted.

Instagram Stories

Instagram stories allow you to share moments throughout your day and can be done with both video and photos. Using your creativity, add video snippets and/or photos to your existing story throughout the day. As a business owner, this is a great opportunity to showcase the day in the life of you. Show us behind the scenes of what makes your company so great. Because Instagram stories disappear after 24 hours and won’t show up in your profile or in the general feed, you don’t have to worry about overposting.

Cover Photos

Christmas came early: Facebook recently released the ability to change your static cover photo to video. The Facebook cover page is the most viewed area on your page. Therefore, this is a great opportunity to showcase your business.

Some things to keep in mind:

• Videos must be between 20-90 seconds.
• The suggested video size is 820 x 312 pixels.
• The video will continue to loop.

The feature is in its early stages but is expected to roll out to a wider audience soon.

Out Of The Box

This requires a little more time and effort but the results are worth it: Get your team together and brainstorm ways you can showcase your business in an entertaining light.

For example, think about parodies, music videos, car karaoke, or what’s trending to get ideas flowing. There is no such thing as a bad idea.

One of our dentist clients did a music video to the song “Can’t Feel My Face.” The video received over 150,000 views and hundreds of comments from people saying how they hated the dentist but wanted to go to this one because they seemed so fun.

Start small with one of these ideas and slowly grow to include other video options. By incorporating video, you will see an increase in click-throughs, shares and retention. Lights, camera, action!

In a word: everything. Professional social media management is a serious game for both agencies and clients, and clients should beware of the pitfalls that come with poor choices. We’ve seen countless examples of prospects who come to us too late — when what they really need is crisis management, not social media management. Almost always, if the client or its agency had prepared for situations that arise when you open your brand up to public conversation on social networks, the issue could have been prevented. With that in mind, here are four crucial ways to secure your social media marketing and defend against both cyber security and brand integrity dangers:

1. Ask about the agency’s security measures. How does the team choose passwords for your accounts? How do they limit access to those passwords among the team? On what devices will your social media accounts be open? When you hand over the keys to your social media accounts, you’ll want to make sure that precautions are being taken to protect against hackers or even unforeseen data breaches that can occur at the agency. We educated one of our client’s teams on how and when to get involved with their own account. Ask for training sessions and/or a written handbook so you’re on the same page about whether accounts can be accessed on-site, off-site, via mobile apps, via personal accounts, etc.
2. Ask about the agency’s social media protocols. A professional marketing or advertising agency should have a written procedure for dealing with disgruntled employees, unhappy customers, foul language and other inappropriate content. At a minimum, the procedure should outline how quickly posts are removed, and/or how to report situations to you or your team for an executive decision. Not only should you be comfortable with their procedures, but you should also be comfortable with your responsibility to get back to your external social media team in a timely manner. Your online reputation depends on it!
3. Ask for details. Don’t just stop at the salesperson or principals of the agency you hire. Instead, ask to meet the key member(s) of the social media team who are responsible for executing the work. In the conversation, ask the team to describe problems that have occurred in the past with other clients, and have the team describe how they were resolved. Remember that social media is an extraordinarily fast advertising medium: We once had a restaurant client whose happy hour post ended up on the Facebook page of a higher education client. Luckily, we spotted the post within minutes of it going live and were able to rectify it. Now, we have a “write-edit-proof-post-check” procedure that allows for catching those sorts of errors before they even happen. Those are the honest stories you’ll want to hear in your sit-down with the team.
4. Monitor progress internally. You or someone on your team should be monitoring your social media platforms at least weekly. It will only take a few minutes to scroll through the posts and assess their response rates. We once had a client start a war about parking with their next-door neighbor, which the client played out on his own Facebook page (against our strong advisement to keep it private). Don’t meddle with the team you hired to manage your social media, but do check in at regular intervals.

One unfortunate phrase we hear from prospects is, “We don’t want to be on social media because people can say negative things about us for everyone to see.” The truth is, people are going to say negative things about you and your brand, anyway: You may as well be there to guide the conversation with a competent and effective social media marketing team. Ultimately, social media marketing and native advertising are vital parts of any comprehensive marketing strategy today, and there are still opportunities to be a first-mover in many industries. Plan carefully, and be sure to participate in the conversation.