The Before-The-Event Outreach Play
Connect before the crowd does, follow up after they don't.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 82%
The Before-The-Event Outreach Play flips the normal networking sequence. Instead of adding people after an event like everyone else, Javier researches attendees and speakers beforehand and connects first, so that when they actually meet — virtually or in person — the relationship already exists. A follow-up afterward closes the loop when most contacts have gone quiet. The core logic is contrarian timing: figure out what everyone else does by default, then do the opposite to be the one person who stands out.
Origin
Javier developed the play from watching how everyone behaves identically at events — rushing to add speakers afterward with generic requests. He reasoned that reversing the sequence would make him the one memorable contact and built it into his networking teaching.
Core principles
- 01Everyone adds people after an event, so doing it before makes you stand out.
- 02Standing out is a matter of doing what nobody else is doing.
- 03Building rapport before you meet someone means the in-person meeting reinforces an existing relationship.
- 04A follow-up after the event closes the loop when others have gone silent.
How to run it
- 1
Research before, not after
Before the event, find the attendees and speakers you want to meet.
Pro tip Ask yourself 'what am I going to do that nobody else is doing?' and let the answer guide your timing.
Watch out Don't wait until after the event — that's exactly when everyone else adds them and you blend in.
- 2
Connect ahead of time
Reach out and establish the connection before the event takes place.
- 3
Meet at the event
Meet the person at the event, virtually or in person, to reinforce the connection you already started.
- 4
Follow up afterward
Send a follow-up message after the event to close the loop while others stay silent.
Pro tip Because most people only send generic personalized invites, your follow-up makes you the one person who stands out.
In the wild
Javier reaches out to speakers and attendees before an event, meets them during it, then follows up after — the reverse of the crowd that only adds people once the event ends.
→ He becomes the one person who built rapport ahead of time instead of one of many post-event requests.
Common mistakes
Adding people only after the event
Post-event is when everyone piles in with identical requests, so your message drowns in the crowd and gets ignored.
Is it for you?
Best for
Job seekers and professionals attending conferences, career fairs, or virtual events who want to be memorable.
Not ideal for
Spontaneous events with no advance attendee list, or people uncomfortable with pre-emptive outreach.
From the transcript
“research them before everybody you can find people before events not after them”
“okay what am i going to do that nobody else is doing so what i'd say is exactly how to stand out so reach out…”
From the episode
Jonathan Javier: Networking Hacks to Land a Job in the Pandemic
Jonathan Javier