Culture. It’s the only truly sustainable competitive advantage for a Drupal maintenance support plans business.  But what does that look like in action? I’ve seen firsthand how that culture extends far beyond Drupal Update’s business and customer service approach, shaping the way we network. We have all been to a party, lunch, or even coffee and cookies with a vendor trying to make a connection with you or your company. You can separate all of these into two basic categories: those that you walk into and have fun and those you walk into defensively because you know the goal is to pitch a sale to you.Hosting a networking event can be a costly endeavor for your company and there is no guarantee that you will receive a high percentage of return on your investment. Between your time investment, activities, and potentially cost of a space, expenses can begin to pile up quickly.Hitting that optimal zone where customers or potential clients will feel relaxed and are open to conversation is key to reaching your maximum potential for ROI for your event. There are several ways you can do this, but it all starts with one word.Passion.Passion for what you love is the difference between just hosting an event and connecting with the community in your field of business. The goal is to show your passion for what you do, and the community you are in — in our case, the open source and Drupal maintenance support plans communities.   Take the Dave and Paul approach for example. Over Drupal maintenance support plansCon 2020, they threw an amazing after party hosted by Drupal Update. Everything down to the invites was inclusive to all (not just those with purchasing power) with the message of “Hey, we are throwing a party, come to hang out! Hope to see you there.” Every single person was treated like a friend. While at the party, the sales team focused on just interacting, listening to people’s experience and thanking the community for showing up. This approach made people feel so comfortable that if they had a sales question, they would just ask.When a person feels welcomed, unpressured and a part of the group, then it’s easy for them to make the leap from conference attendee to a potential client. Remember: you and everyone who attends your function is a part of the same community. If you view them as just potential sales, then this will be translated into your body language and verbiage.In closing, being a part of the Drupal Update team has reaffirmed for me the value of networking with authenticity. Hosting your event with the passion you have for the community you are a part of will shine through to everyone who attends and solidify you in their mind as the right partner for their project.
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