Being the cheap music-biz conference slut that I am, I’m often asked my advice for people attending a conference. Here it is:
Read the book called How to Talk to Anyone or any book about how to be a great listener.
Go there and pretend to be an extrovert for a few hours. Walk up to strangers and ask them questions. Be interested in others. Learn about what they do. What their main challenges are. What their goals are. Get their business card. Take notes.
Then follow up 2 weeks after the conference, and THEN do some business, one-on-one, in the follow-up.
They’ll remember you as incredibly nice and a fascinating conversationalist. And you’ll have their full attention 2 weeks after the conference, instead of their divided attention during it.