We all attend many conferences, events and shows during the year, and that means a wealth of opportunities for connecting people you only communicate via email, as well a chance to pitch your story to the media.

There are things that we busy entrepreneurs forget time after time  -as a result, we spend too much time looking at other people's products:

• Book as many face-to-face meetings as possible each day. When you meet someone the second or third time, and feek like you know each other, that's when the big integrations happen. 
   
• Showing up early before the event start is perfect opportunity to meet people before things get too hectic.
   
• Be your product and your brand. If you wear your company t-shirt, you will strike up a conversation quickly and create a presence. Bring a few extras to give out.
   
• Stick to schedule, organize, focus. Go where the people you want to meet are. Read blog posts about conferences in your field. Ask partners, journalists and VCs where they will be.
   
• Follow-up with the connections you've made and work those relationships for when you meet them again.
   
• Don't have a booth? Tap into your partners to see if you can share their space.
   
• And the key rule: Never forget that it's not a holiday!