Location: Venice, St. Mark’s Square, Caffè Florian
When: April 2017, May 2018
Topic: networking and business happy hours for professional interpreters and translators
Networking events
Happy hour for business
Why is happy hour so important for business nowadays? The answer is not obvious, nevertheless simple: we are social animals, and we need to meet other people, to feel a part of a group, to build up an identity. Additionally, it is of paramount importance that colleagues, or business people working in the same field (or in different fields, this is actually my next step) share information and feel comfortable with one another.
More broadly speaking, happy hour has increasingly become a moment to close deals, to sign contracts and to build (or reinforce) business leads. As stated in Forbes (full article here), the happy hour is an effective way for strengthening bonds and connections and making new ones. More practically, inviting a client (or a prospect client) of yours to have a drink after work does not mean you are bringing your relation into another level. Nope. It means you are willing to get to know *more* about him/her and to ask questions. This does not only lead to a deeper knowledge of who your clients are, but also to give them the opportunity to get to know more of you.
Where does this come from?
Why should we offer someone a drink (or two)? When it comes to business, social gatherings are welcome.
My first business happy hour for interpreters and translator was in San Francisco, organized by the NCTA (the Northern California Translators Association, a branch of ATA). It was a revelation: professional business people who were willing to share thoughts, business cards and share a drink.
I decided I had to organize something similar once at home, in Italy. Wouldn’t that be nice to meet many colleagues and share opinions and keep in touch? Definitely yes.
That’s where my networking events come from. The afternoons we spend together are always juicy and jolly. We have the marvelous chance of getting to know many fellow interpreters and translators coming from all over Italy.