How to plan for, initiate & nurture successful (developer) relations at events?

This month, we'll have the pleasure of welcoming Floor Drees and Wesley Faulkner, who will explore how to plan for, initiate and nurture successful (developer) relations at events from different angles.

Floor will share ways to set yourself up for DevRel success with good preparation and Wesley will explore how to get through the awkwardness of networking at events. Following their talks, you will be able to join in a live Q&A with Floor, Wesley and fellow devrellers.

Agenda:

• Talk: KBYG: Setting up DevRel for success, by Floor Drees.
• Talk: Getting through the awkwardness of networking, by Wesley Faulkner
• Live Q&A: with Floor, Wesley and fellow devrellers

Talk 1: KBYG: Setting up DevRel for success, by Floor Drees
Earlier this year I switched from the DevRel team at Aiven to the Community team. While my reporting line changed, and my responsibilities (or: OKRs) too, and my day-to-day somewhat, the way I approach event engagement hasn't.
In fact, the position I'm in now is great for influencing other people to be more intentional about their conference visits.
I would like to share with you the ways I (help colleagues) prepare for events - the know-before-you-go, schedule building, scheduling appointments - how to stick to the plan of attack, and how to complete the activity with a trip report and follow ups.
I'll share slides and templates so that you can try for yourself, but be aware that my level of planning is not for the faint of heart.

Talk 2: Getting through the awkwardness of networking, by Wesley Faulkner
There's a lot about modern networking that we all should un-learn. Showing off your knowledge and targeting the "important" connections is the wrong approach. If you genuinely want to be an effective networker, you have to shift away from looking at these interactions as transactional. That said, it's still hard to find people to talk to, and even harder to know how to start up a conversation. I'll give you tips that will help you work through those issues and ultimately make you more comfortable in new spaces with new people. You'll come away from this presentation with advice you can put to use immediately.