Best Ways To Encourage Networking In Virtual Meetings

I've been telling the VP, of Marketing how to turn routine meetings into recruiting opportunities with video. Mastering the art of blending recruitment opportunities into routine meetings using video tools requires strategic planning, innovative thinking, and clear communication. Here are 8 key strategies to incorporate: 1) Promote Your Company Culture: Video meetings can be an excellent platform for showcasing your company's culture. Sharing successes, acknowledging hard work, celebrating milestones, and encouraging informal chat can create a positive environment that attracts potential candidates who might be in the meeting. 2) Discuss Open Roles: At appropriate times during the meeting, discuss open roles and potential opportunities within the organization. This might intrigue someone who is already in the meeting, or someone they know. 3) Encourage Employee Advocacy: Foster an environment where current employees feel comfortable talking about their work and experience. Employee testimonials and recommendations are powerful recruitment tools. 4) Demonstrate Thought Leadership: Routine meetings, especially those that include people outside the organization, are a chance to showcase your organization's knowledge and expertise. This could make the organization attractive to potential candidates who value thought leadership. 5) Invite Potential Candidates: For larger or public-facing meetings, consider inviting potential candidates so they can get a firsthand look at how your organization operates. 6) Use Features Provided by Video Tools: Many video conferencing tools like Zoom, Teams, etc., offer features such as break-out rooms. These can be used for private discussions if a potential candidate emerges during the meeting. 7) Be Transparent and Respectful: It's important to respect the original purpose of the meeting. If a meeting has been designated for a specific work purpose, recruitment discussions should not overwhelm its agenda. 8) Follow-Up: After the meeting, follow up with potential candidates who expressed interest. This could be an email or a one-on-one video call where you can discuss the role in more depth. Blending recruitment opportunities into routine video meetings isn't just efficient, it's also a strategic way to showcase your organization and its opportunities organically and authentically. https://lnkd.in/guB26vzG

27 cold emails... That is how many I have received in the past 2 weeks from vendors after attending Inbound. Pretty ironic to receive awful outbound from a conference literally named Inbound. All sound the same: "Hope you enjoyed Inbound. Have you explored our amazing AI widget? Here is a free coffee mug. Since you have a pulse, I thought you would benefit from helping me reach my meeting set quota. Here is my calendar link." NOTHING valuable to me at all. Here is the main problem: attendees go to events to learn and network not to buy things. When you try to sell things, it is incongruent with the mindset they are in while there. So your outreach misses. Answer: Align with WHY THEY WENT THERE. Education, networking, content etc. ================================================= Here are some ideas on what you could do differently. 1) Recap the best sessions. Have someone attend the relevant sessions in your industry. Come up with summary of the best ideas/tactics highlights from those sessions and put into some kind of resource. Then reach out to your prospects offering it with NO ASK. "Hey Kim, Inbound - what a whirlwind! Looked like your RevOps team attended but if you were like most of us, there were too many great session and not enough time. We put together a summary and cheat sheet from every RevOps session including clips and highlights. Happy to pass along if you team would like" 2) Connect them and facilitate networking Figure out who the top thought leaders were in your space and reach out to co-create with them. Setup a virtual meetup or offer to make introductions. "Erin, Did you get a chance to catch Kelly Smith's session on [ICP topic] at Inbound? Holy s*$%... we thought it was so valuable that we asked her to do another virtual workshop with us to recap and dive deeper. Happy to invite you in if interested" -OR something like this on LinkedIn message: "Michelle - did you get a chance to meet Amy Johnston @ ABC. She's doing some pretty amazing things in [ICP topic]. Saw you and your GTM team were at Inbound - would be happy to connect you guys if interested." ============================================= See the difference? A conference ending is not a trigger for a prospect to be in a buying cycle. You need to engage with additional value off the back of the momentum of the event and why they attended in the first place. Add value with connections and content. We all have plenty of coffee mugs. PS: Has anyone actually received quality outbound after attending an event? Would love to hear examples....

Is your digital brand the new social capital? We often focus on building networks, but what about the unspoken social capital rules in our virtual work environments? When I shifted to working remotely, I knew I had to rethink how I built connections. Instead of just showing up, I needed to engage intentionally —adding value in discussions and following up with personalized messages after meetings. Little by little, these efforts built trust and solidified my digital presence. Now, peers know they can count on me, even in a virtual space. That’s how I built digital social capital : turning every interaction into a moment that matters. Relationships are more nuanced today, and the subtle rules of social capital have changed. Consider This: 📍Virtual Presence is Non-Negotiable: It’s no longer just about who you know within the company—it’s about how you’re perceived in virtual meetings and collaborative platforms. Are you a passive attendee or an active contributor shaping the team’s direction? 📍Minor Interactions, Major Impact: In the virtual workplace, influence is often built—or lost—in the small, everyday moments: a quick supportive message, a thoughtful comment in a meeting, or timely follow-ups on action items. Are you seizing these moments? 📍Depth Over Breadth: Building social capital at work isn’t about being on every project or team—it’s about the quality of your interactions. Are your co-worker connections meaningful, or are they just superficial exchanges? Elevate Your Digital Social Capital at Work: 📍Engage Engage Engage: In meetings or on collaborative platforms, go beyond generic input. Offer ideas that advance the discussion, ask insightful questions, or provide constructive feedback. Genuine engagement shows you’re invested in the team’s success. 📍Follow Up Intentionally: After virtual meetings or conversations, follow up with a personalized message or action referencing something specific. Whether it’s a helpful resource or a suggestion for next steps, this approach shows you’re proactive and attentive. 📍Consistent, Purposeful Presence: Regularly contribute in meaningful ways—whether it’s sharing valuable insights, recognizing a peer’s work, or starting important discussions. Your consistent, intentional involvement builds trust and positions you as a trusted go-to team member. Now that in-person interactions are limited, mastering these virtual nuances can amplify your influence. After all, our digital presence isn’t just a profile—it’s your digital brand. 💬 How are you cultivating yours? ♻️ Share to support eachother 🔔 For tips on how to thrive at home, work, and everywhere in between