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Visit Norway Connect - tips

Top tips for a successful networking event

1. Manual - be concrete and selling 

Think well through what you write in the manual when you sign up. This is the tool used to book meetings with you. You can change the information yourself via a webpage, until a set deadline. 

What do buyers want to know? 

  • Is this a product fitting my customers and target groups?
  • What is the unique selling points with the product? 
  • Are there other experiences or destinations that can be combined with your product or destination? 
  • What are your offers and prices? (tour operator rates, commission, seasonal focus)

What do suppliers want to know? 

  • What knowledge and experience do you have of this product or destination? 
  • What kind of customers do you work with? (motivations, age, interests, groups, FITs, incentive) 
  • What kind of experience or attractions are your customers looking for? 
  • How do you work? (directly with products and destinations, or with incoming agents) 
  • Do you focus on sustainability? 

2. Suppliers - know your target groups 

Who do you wish to sell to, and who are your target group? 

  • Jobber du rettet mot ferie og fritidssegmentet eller seminarer og incentives? 
  • Har du et produkt som tiltrekker mest aktive turister eller mer kulturelt interesserte?
  • Er du kun interessert i Europa eller ønsker du også å prøve ut et nytt marked?

3. Use the manuals well

Read well through the manuals and consider if your product fits the different profiles. Request a meeting with the most relevant participants. 

4. Make a list!

Part of the event is pre-booked speed dating meetings, but some other parts are without pre-booking or entirely informal. Especially for the workshop in Belgium, we recommend to make a list of those companies you wish to talk to, and email them a short pitch and invite for a talk! 

5. Study your schedule

It might be that you have receive a meeting request from someone you do not think is relevant for you. Check their information in the manual to see if there is a potential match. If not, please try to make clear and explain why you do not think the meeting would be relevant for you. 

Do you have available capacity, and not gotten a confirmed meeting with everyone you wanted? You can ask for more meetings in open slots in the system. Remember to check the details on how long a request can stay un-answered. If you do not get a pre-booked meeting via the system, email a short pitch and request a talk. 

6. Prepare for busy days! 

  • Be social and make the most of all the opportunities for networking. A good relation can begin in the line for coffee. 
  • Use those around you! The Innovation Norway employees are there to help you and connect you to relevant partners.
  • Use the speed-date times well. You have 15 minutes to find out what you can do for each other - be efficient!