What I learnt from TechDay 2017

London can be overwhelming. You want to build relationships with potential customers, yet it can feel like you have too many options. Which event or networking opportunity is right for you? Will your ideal audience even be there? It’s soul-destroying when you put loads of effort into an event just to have to drag your sorry and tired self home again without so much as a handshake, never mind a meaningful conversation.

If your ideal audience is small to medium businesses who are driven, growing and fuelled by technology, TechDay won’t let you down. It will, in fact, leave your soul singing in comparison.

Check out the fast track guide to getting more from your equity that we put together after talking to TechDay attendees.

Here are the 5 reasons TechDay worked for us.

1. It wasn’t too big

That may sound like a weird one. But often events of this nature get so big that they get too broad. TechDay attracted business from a wide range of industries, from cycling to accounting, and of different sizes. But the clue to its success is in the name. Every business had technology at it’s core. This meant for attendees, they knew what to expect. They knew that everyone there would be using technology to their advantage. Like Vestd, many of the exhibitors are doing something that disrupts traditional methods. In our case we’ve developed technology that takes the pain out of sharing ownership in your business. At this event there was no need to go into detail about why we’ve gone down the technology route and people were much more receptive to our ideas than intimidated.

Crowds building at TechDay

2. It was busy

Our CEO, Ifty Nasir, was booked to talk about Vestd on the demo stage at 3pm. This made me anxious. From experience most people start to drift off from big days like this around 2pm, or at least begin to lose interest. Yet at 3pm there was still a large crowd! In fact we were still talking to people at our stand at 5pm, closing time. People were coming by our stand all day and even with three of us we had people waiting. I’m not sure everyone’s vocal chords appreciated the volume of people, but to able to talk to that many people who are interested in using their equity to share ownership was a joy.

Simon and Ifty chatting with TechDay attendees

3. The demo stage

The demo stage offered businesses three minutes each to demonstrate what they’re working on. As the event floor was broken down into sections, ours was ‘Enterprise’, you could pick the type of businesses you’re most interested in and settle down to watch for that section. A good technique if you weren’t sure which businesses to go and talk to. Three minutes is not a long time to talk about something your passionate about. Yet on the day the crowds were receptive and the compéres helpful. My only complaint is that while Ifty had practiced until he was three minutes and not a second over, many of the others were not so strict. I’m pretty sure we could have got away with a slide or too more.

Ifty and co-panelists chatting cyber security

4. No big dogs

I used to attend the London Book Fair every year, and every year I’d pity the small, underfed publishers crammed into their tiny stands while the giants of the publishing world constructed miniature cathedrals next to them. At TechDay it was much more democratic. There were a few with the DIY stands, but it looked like most of the rest of us had gone to the same ‘design-your-own-roller-banner’ website. The result was a refreshing lack of hierarchy. The sort of place where a tablecloth added bucketloads to your professionalism. Furnishings aside, there was an open atmosphere and a willingness to interact that I think definitely added to the success of the day.

5. The pies were good

You may scoff, but when you’re on your feet all day selling your software a tasty pie sold to you with a smile goes a really long way.

If you were at TechDay and are interested in sharing ownership but didn’t get a chance to say hello, you can do it at hello@vestd.com

In the meantime, start getting your shares in a row with our free guide to equity fundamentals.