Build a genuine relationship with contacts before asking for favors.

Is your networking not working? Are your industry connections feeling disconnected?

Let’s face it, the meetings industry has always been powered by people. And a meeting planner today without a robust roster of colleagues is a bit like a coach without any players. You can draw up the best plans in the world, but they go nowhere without reliable sources to help carry them out.

In conversations with three industry experts, each leader offers a distinct perspective on what it takes to build a network that doesn’t just look impressive on paper or screen, but actually supports, sustains and elevates a planner’s career. Their insights reveal a shared belief that networking is not just a task; it is a habit, a mindset, and in many ways, a professional lifeline.

Showing Up, Staying Present & Playing the Long Game

For Eli Gorin, CMP, CMM, CEO, Americas at ATS Group, networking isn’t a side activity or an occasional task. It’s a discipline. His strategy is grounded in presence — literal, physical presence — and a commitment to showing up even when it’s inconvenient, expensive or requires crossing the country for a single day.

When asked which networking approaches have driven his career most, Gorin doesn’t hesitate: “Being present has always made the biggest impact for networking.” In a field built on human connection, he sees attendance not as optional but as foundational.

Gorin’s philosophy is straightforward: if the industry gathers, he’s there. And he urges others to optimize the many opportunities available, particularly those designed to reduce financial barriers. “More and more associations are offering opportunities for hosted buyers or scholarships for people to attend industry events, and they need to try to take advantage of those if they are not able to pay their own way,” he explains. The meetings industry thrives on in‑person interaction, and he believes planners grow the same way.

From the earliest days, Gorin took part in online forums long before social media became the default networking tool. But, as the digital landscape evolved, he realized he hadn’t fully tapped into one of the industry’s most powerful platforms. “The one forum I wish I had spent more time on and has proven very successful for many people in our industry has been LinkedIn,” he shares. Although he had spent time on the platform for years, he describes himself as a passive user until recent times, when he began posting weekly newsletters and engaging more frequently.

That extra effort there, he says, has been worth it. Staying active on LinkedIn has helped him maintain relevance, visibility and connection beyond the few times a year he might encounter colleagues at events. It’s a healthy reminder that networking isn’t just about occasional in-person connection — it’s about staying engaged between those moments.

That being said, Gorin’s most impactful networking moments have come from the events he physically attends. He has been at nearly every IMEX America since its inception, first as a hosted buyer and later on his own dime. He remembers traveling across the country for a single day simply to stroll the show floor, meet people and relish the chance encounters that so often result in unexpected opportunities. “I have always come from that show with new connections and potential business opportunities just by walking the show floor and connecting with people walking around,” he says.

His commitment extends beyond the U.S.; in recent years, he has added IMEX Frankfurt, FIEXPO Latin America and PCMA’s Convening Leaders to his annual rotation, with plans to attend even more events as his business expands internationally. The key, he emphasizes, is intentionality: “It’s important to find those shows that make sense for you and make a point of it to take part.”

Gorin’s approach highlights a concept most planners know but don’t always carry out: networking is not passive. It requires consistent ongoing effort and sometimes sacrifice. But for those willing to invest, the returns can be transformative.

Many of the best connections come from chance encounters on the show floor.

Consistency, Authenticity & the Power of Trusted Advisors

Where Gorin stresses presence, Darryl Diamond, CMP, HMCC, emphasizes consistency and authenticity. As Chief Experience Officer at Big White Dog Events, Diamond has built a career — and a business — on the knowledge that networking is not a crisis response but a regular practice.

“There’s a common misconception that networking is something you do when you’re job hunting,” he comments. “The challenge is that if you only start when you are looking for a job, you’re already behind and chasing the train.” For him, career resilience is built long before you need it.

As an independent planner, networking is not just beneficial — it’s essential. “If I don’t network, chances are that I don’t eat,” he says bluntly.

His connections not only keep him informed about opportunities before they’re public, they also generate referrals that sustain his business. It’s a reminder that, in the freelance world, relationships are currency.

Diamond also touts the emotional and professional support that comes from a dynamic industry network. Working in small organizations earlier in his career, he often found himself as the sole event expert, lacking internal colleagues who fully grasped the nuances of his work.

“I needed a strong outside network of meeting professionals I could trust to tell it to me straight,” he explains.

That network became even more critical when he launched his own business, offering guidance on pricing, strategy and his personal blindspots he didn’t know he had. “Sometimes, I need to ask, ‘Is this normal?’ and get a candid answer from someone who has been there.”

His applicable guidance for networking is refreshingly straightforward and founded in real behavior rather than lofty ideals. First: show up. “Attempt to connect with at least two people during the event that you didn’t know going in,” he advises. Then, follow up — not with a pitch, but with an invitation to continue the conversation over coffee or lunch,” he says.

Next, be consistent: “Schedule one intentional industry touchpoint each month,” he says. Networking shouldn’t be left to chance or confined to annual conferences. A quick call, a virtual coffee or a check‑in with a partner can keep relationships warm and meaningful.

Third: be a connector. “The fastest way to strengthen your network is to add value,” Diamond explains. Introduce people who should know each other. Share articles. Recommend colleagues. Celebrate others’ successes.

“When you consistently position yourself as someone who connects others, you increase your visibility, build goodwill and become top‑of‑mind in professional circles,” he shares.

Reframing your networking approach from a transactional activity to a long‑term investment in the meetings community is at the heart of Diamond’s perspective. It’s not about collecting contacts but cultivating relationships that support, challenge and elevate everyone involved.

Connection Over Networking, Curiosity Over Agenda

If Gorin embraces presence and Diamond urges consistency, Gianna Cardinale Gaudini champions humanity. An event strategist and fractional head of events and author of “The Art of Event Planning,” she admits readily that the word ‘networking’ itself makes her cringe a bit. “It evokes collecting business cards like Pokémon and politely excusing oneself from elevator pitch after elevator pitch,” she says. Instead, she prefers “connecting” or even “mind melding,” a phrase that captures her belief in deeper, more meaningful engagement.

For her, the planners who connect most effectively are the ones who set aside their screens and immerse themselves in the physical world around them. “They actually get out of their office and off their computers,” she says. The best planners she knows — and she includes herself in this group — intentionally designate time to attend other people’s events, explore new venues and experience brand activations in person. It’s not just about collecting ideas, although she always welcomes creative inspiration. It’s more about staying sharp by keeping up with trends and seeing what excellence looks like in firsthand practice.

Her time at Google cultivated this habit. When developing a women’s event strategy, Cardinale Gaudini attended every major women’s conference she could, such as TED Women, Goop, AllRaise, TFQ and others. “I could network and see what was out there already, what was working and what gaps I could fill with Google’s events,” she explains, adding that this immersion gave her clarity, creativity and a sense of the broader landscape.

She is also a big fan of the lost art of the device‑free lunch. At The Battery in San Francisco, where phones are prohibited in the dining space, she tries to invite someone new to lunch every week just to chat and connect. “Some of the best event ideas come from that designer you met who works in retail, or that tech person who told you about an app that changed your registration game forever,” she says. These cross‑disciplinary conversations spur innovation and also grow her network beyond the usual industry circles.

Like Diamond, she believes in the generous sharing of information and connections. “The best connectors will text you an article they think you’d love or introduce you to someone who could help with that problem you mentioned three months ago,” she says. These little gestures foster trust and inspire collaboration.

But Cardinale Gaudini also counsels against the clumsiest networking misstep she sees: asking for too much too soon. “Can we talk about the networking equivalent of proposing on the first date?” she asks. She describes meeting someone briefly at a conference only to receive an immediate request for a CEO introduction. “Would you ask someone to marry you on a first date? Then don’t treat professional relationships any differently,” she says. Her guidance is easy to follow — listen, be curious and make a “relationship deposit” before attempting a withdrawal.

For new planners in particular, she proposes two achievable goals. First, “The Lunch Rule:” meet one new connection for lunch each week or month. Second, the “Podcast‑to‑LinkedIn Pipeline:” when someone inspires you on a podcast or other platform, reach out thoughtfully and personally. And her bonus tip: volunteer. Volunteering opened doors in her professional career and personal life — even leading to her meeting her husband.

Her approach is built on authenticity: “Real connection isn’t a transaction. It’s about building a community of people who genuinely care about each other’s success.” In an industry all about bringing people together, Cardinale Gaudini reminds planners to lead with humanity first and logistics second.

Three Paths, One Truth

Although each planner has a somewhat different viewpoint on successful networking, their insights intersect at a shared truth: success in the meetings industry is inseparable from the relationships you build. Whether you show up like Gorin, stay consistent like Diamond or aim to connect deeply like Cardinale Gaudini, the goal is still the same — cultivating a community that supports, inspires and elevates your work.

Networking isn’t a task to check off or a transaction we make. It’s a consistent practice, a mindset and a commitment to curiosity, generosity and presence. And, in a field defined by connection, it may be the most important skill a planner can develop. C&IT