Registration. Red Carpets. Screenings. Drinks. Laughter. Conversation. Connection. The vibe when you connect with other film creatives in person is electric! But it can be gone in a flash if you’re not taking the time to exchange information. To follow up after the excitement has died down, be sure to connect with them on the recently updated Stage 32 App!

Of course, you’re meeting TONS of people when attending these events. Maybe it just seems like it because you don’t normally meet ten new people in a single day, but that number can exponentially increase if you are there to do more than watch a film. Screening your film? Celebrating a friend’s win? Attending a panel? Selling at a market? Hosting a Q&A? Be sure to have a system to follow up - and to remember why you’re following up!

Okay, so how do you connect? How do you follow up? And how the heck do you remember who they are or what you talked about?!? ADD A FACE TO THE NAME! In today’s blog, I’ll be walking you through how I’ve been using Stage 32’s NEW Camera Feature to help me follow up with in-person connections for maximum impact!

At The Event

You’ve started chatting, and you want more time with them. Coffee? Lunch? A virtual hang? You have to be able to contact them, but maybe you’re not ready to hand out your cell phone number (and who could blame you - safety and security are important!) So, grab out your phone and connect with them on Stage 32. There may be a faster way to snag contact information (virtual business cards have become quite popular), but on Stage 32, we’re invested in building relationships. This means taking the time to get to know one another and providing each other with value before asking anything in return.

Post To Introduce Your New Friend

Speaking of providing value, even if you don’t know each other well, you can always provide value by introducing new contacts to more contacts. We’re all at these events to meet people, after all! So, why not help them in that endeavor? Bring up your Stage 32 App and tap on the Martini Glass. Then select ALL LOUNGES, then tap the “Introduce Yourself” Lounge. If you post in Introduce Yourself Lounge introducing your new friend, you can help them spread the word about your new friend! What incredible value you bring, even upon first meeting!

Use The New Camera Feature

Now here’s the secret to following up with maximum impact: USE THE Camera Feature - use when posting, just like Instagram, so no more picture/save/draft/upload/post - now it’s just draft/picture/post! First off, this provides a memory. You will literally remember taking a picture with your new friend. Second, you will be able to better retain what you talked about when you see their face, not just their name. Finally, you’ll have a face to the name! It seems simple, but it’s incredibly difficult to build a relationship without this very basic equation: FACE + NAME + ACCESSIBILITY x EXPERIENCES TOGETHER = LEVEL OF RELATIONSHIP Those first two are crucial leading up to doing more things together!

Include A Note To Self To Guide Future Conversations

Finally, make sure you include some essential information in the Intro Post to go along with the picture. I would suggest including their name, what they do, and what they’re working. This way, when you follow up with them, you can ask them for an update!

Suggestions For How To Follow Up

You can now find the post under Profile > Posts&Updates! Look up your friend by name, direct message them with the link to the post so they can follow up with any comments, and set up your next meeting! No more wondering - what was their name? How can I find them? You can now find them AND message them on a safe and supportive platform.

But hey… that’s just me. How have you been using your new Camera Feature on the Stage 32 App?

Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Got an idea for a post? Or have you collaborated with Stage 32 members to create a project? We'd love to hear about it. Email Emily at blog@stage32.com and let's get your post published!

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