Bangkok Business Networking: One Shift That Changes Everything

[00:00:00] Most expat business owners get networking in Bangkok all wrong.

[00:00:04] They rush to make quick deals, or even worse,

[00:00:07] they send their staff to networking events to collect business cards. I’m Scott Pressimone and I’ve seen firsthand how networking has benefited my own consultancy.

[00:00:16] Today I’ll share the shift that I made that changed absolutely everything for me.

[00:00:19] Now listen, if you serve the local market in Thailand or if you have operations in Thailand, networking is not optional. It’s how you unlock partnerships, referrals, and other opportunities.

[00:00:31] But too many owners make the same mistakes.

[00:00:33] First, they assume that networking will not work and they don’t attend any events at all.

[00:00:38] Second, they give up too quickly, maybe attending one or two events saying, oh, there’s not an ROI and not going back after.

[00:00:46] Or third, they send unmotivated staff members to network for them, because after all, they’re too busy running the business. Might as well get someone out to the events. And so they send someone off and hope for the best.

[00:00:59] I’ve seen people attend events because they’re just following the boss’s orders, and for them it’s a complete wasted opportunity. But on the other hand, I’ve interviewed several successful business owners here, and when I ask what they attribute their success to,

[00:01:11] the most common answer I get is that they’re highly involved in networking.

[00:01:15] The shift that changed absolutely everything for me is this. I stopped chasing quick wins and I focused on forming genuine relationships. Networking in Bangkok isn’t about how many business cards or name cards you collect. It’s about people recognizing and associating you with your expertise.

[00:01:32] People do business with the people that they trust, so aim for depth, not breadth. One real connection is worth far more than dozens of forgotten contacts. The way I look at it is this. You’re not trying to sell directly. You’re just trying to meet people. The people that I’ve met that have had a big impact on my business aren’t necessarily end customers. They’re people that are other connectors, and those have resulted in helping me form other connections that turned into business.

[00:01:59] But if you’re ready to network in Bangkok, how do you actually do it? Well, here are the four simple fast steps.

[00:02:04] Step number one is know your value. You need a very clear, jargon-free introduction that people can understand quickly. Do not just state your job title. Do not just state your industry. Don’t say something like, oh, I’m the founder of an immigration law firm here. That’s not gonna cut it. Instead, identify who you help, the problem you solve and the benefit they get.

[00:02:25] So you might say something like, I help expat businesses in Thailand simplify visa and work permit challenges.

[00:02:31] It’s very simple. It’s very short, and at the end of it, the people you speak with, they’re probably just gonna remember the keywords. They’re gonna remember.

[00:02:39] Oh yeah, that’s the guy that helps with visas and work permits for expat businesses. But that’s still a win. It’s better that you share a sentence and the value proposition, and then they remember the keyword, rather than you just sharing the keyword and hoping they remember it.

[00:02:54] Step number two is to pick the right events. Don’t waste your time on every mixer. Choose just two to three events that you can attend every month and become a regular.

[00:03:03] The Bangkok expat community is super small, so if you become well-known to some, then others will hear about you outside of that group.

[00:03:11] Industry meetups like Bangkok Entrepreneurs and the Chamber events like Australian Chamber of Commerce, American Chamber of Commerce, Singapore Chamber of Commerce, they’re all a great start.

[00:03:21] I’ve listed several other options in the description of the video.

[00:03:25] I personally get the most value outta the events with entry fees, like 500 to 1500 baht because you just get a bit of a better attendance there, and it’s people that are more serious about meeting higher level people.

[00:03:36] On the other side though, even casual groups like Bangkok dads or hobby based events can be a great place to meet people. Because remember, you’re not there to just pitch your services.

[00:03:45] You’re gonna meet people that are like-minded and they probably will form into some sort of business connection in the future. The key here is just to make sure that you’re going to the events that you enjoy that overlap with the type of audience that you want to have.

[00:03:58] Don’t just attend things that you don’t like, burnout, stop attending. Then you’re getting nothing from it at all.

[00:04:05] Step number three is to show up prepared. If there’s an attendees list, check to see if there’s someone who’s attending, who you actually want to talk to.

[00:04:12] The event coordinators will generally be very good at assisting you with introductions, but again, that comes once you become well known. When you actually begin to know the people that are organizing the events, then they’ll ask you, or you can ask them for an introduction.

[00:04:25] The second thing related to this though, is to show up on time. I know it’s tough, you’re busy, I get it. But if you’re attending an event where there’s like a presentation before the networking event starts, then try to go to the presentation because when everyone begins to show up, it gets a lot more busy and it’s gonna be a lot harder to have those deeper conversations.

[00:04:45] You might get some value from the presentation, but honestly, you’re probably getting a lot more value outta the people that you’re speaking with at the start and before the networking really kicks off.

[00:04:55] Step number four is to follow up with intent. You might have a ton of great conversations, but if you don’t follow up, you’re absolutely gonna get forgotten.

[00:05:02] Focus on just the two to three quality connections that you made, and then follow up with them within 48 hours with a personalized message. Now, this doesn’t mean a pitch. This is certainly not a pitch deck. I’m suggesting if you talked about something interesting, send them a message or an email saying that you enjoyed the conversation or offering something of value.

[00:05:22] This is not a time for you to pitch your services, but rather just to begin to nurture that connection. And maybe it turns into a friendship. Maybe it turns into a business connection, but you’re taking that first step.

[00:05:34] Now, the other side of this is to invite someone out to a coffee conversation or a lunch. I would be mindful about this because people are very busy and if it wasn’t a great conversation, they’re not gonna waste their time. Realistically, you’re only gonna spend time with people that you really trust and people have limited time. They’re not gonna say, I wanna sit down for a lunch with you unless they actually think it’ll be worth it.

[00:05:57] So you have to moderate this and do this only with the people that you really think you’re gonna be able to provide value to. Just remember one quality connection can lead to a client, a partner, or just a referral down the line.

[00:06:08] Now here’s the challenge I have for you. Attend just one Bangkok event for the next three months.

[00:06:15] Aim to make just three quality connections that you wanna nurture. That’s it.

[00:06:20] Super simple.

[00:06:21] One event, three months. Three solid connections.

[00:06:27] Now, to be clear, I don’t think that’s all you’re gonna need.

[00:06:29] I think you get the most benefit when you get highly involved in a group more than just attending their events, like joining a committee.

[00:06:37] However, this is just the start. I absolutely believe that if you do this, you’ll start to see the benefit of networking and you’ll realize that it’s worth your time.

[00:06:45] Bangkok has a very tight knit community and if you make just a few good connections, you definitely will open some doors. Alright, well I hope you got value out of this. If you did, hit the like and subscribe button and share it with a friend who you think might benefit from a little nudge to get out there more and network.

[00:07:01] Lastly, if there’s an event that you like or one that you plan to attend, go ahead and drop it in the comments below.

[00:07:07] Alright, I’ll catch you on the next one.