There are plenty of good reasons to host big social events. Many of these good reasons have to do with increasing awareness of the good work that you do, and creating opportunities to do that good work. In today’s blog post, Pete shares his thoughts about how you can increase the value that you experience from these events.
A number of years ago, I spoke with a BD leader at a legal firm who was frustrated with the results of their major client and prospect events. These events were designed to elevate public relations, deepen relationships, and support business development training. They happened every few years, cost a significant amount of money, and brought the entire firm together to celebrate milestones.
But here was the problem: although the whole firm was invited, only a portion attended. Of those who showed up, most spent their time talking with existing clients or colleagues. Very few engaged with new people—prospects who could become future clients. The firm was investing heavily, yet only a tiny sliver of the room was participating in true networking.
As we spoke further, the BD leader shared the real barriers his people faced:
These concerns show up across industries in presentation skills coaching, interview skills training for professionals, and client communication training. When people don’t have a simple, human approach to networking, they default to safety—and safety usually means talking only to people they already know.
The firm brought us in to prepare their entire team before the event. We addressed every concern, answered their questions, and gave them a practical method that sits perfectly between “just chat casually” and “follow a rigid script.” It was warm, natural, and rooted in confident presence.
One of the most powerful parts of the approach was helping people shift into an intention to help—something we emphasize in presence coaching, group presentation coaching, and professional services communication. When your heart is genuinely in the right place, people feel at ease. They sense that the conversation is about connection, not extraction.
After the event, the BD leader contacted us and said, “That was perfect—that was exactly what I was hoping for.” The atmosphere had changed. More people engaged with new contacts. More meaningful conversations happened. The fear dissolved because people understood how to relate, how to begin, and how to keep conversations human.
We’ve been helping firms do this ever since—in AEC interview preparation, sales presentation coaching, business speaking skills, and any setting where authentic relationship-building matters.
With the right mindset and a few simple tools, networking becomes what it was always meant to be: a chance to form mutually beneficial, genuinely enjoyable relationships.
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