MIPIM Accomplished

MIPIM Accomplished

After what can only be described as a highly beneficial (and sunny) week at MIPIM, I started to reflect on my time at Cannes since the very quiet (but very busy), flight back to London and well into last week.

This was my first time at the event and I think that it’s fantastic that approximately 30,000 likeminded property professionals travel from across the globe to congregate at MIPIM in Cannes each year.

This year was a big year for PRE Surveyors at MIPIM because on the Wednesday we hosted our first ever client brunch that was an enormous success! We caught up with 50 of our clients who joined us on the morning to enjoy breakfast and drinks on the beach which lasted well into the afternoon.

I learned fairly early on in the week that MIPIM is not just about meeting new/ potential clients, it’s also as much about catching up with clients you already work with regularly.  Equally, I found that it is also about understanding what other people do and helping others make good connections to help their business, in most cases I found that this would be reciprocal, so well worth doing.

Following our brunch was a busy but comfortable schedule of pre-planned meetings, lunches, dinners and evening networking events.  We would like to thanks to everyone who hosted us during our time at MIPIM.

Like myself, there is a desire amongst all attendees to make the right connections, and why not?  MIPIM is the perfect platform to meet people whether that’s at presentations, events, lunches, I realised that the event is perfectly designed to enable you to do so and subsequently better your own business, no matter what background or sector you may work in.

MIPIM Types

A regular reference I came across when speaking to other delegates were what are known as ‘MIPIM types’ – at first my mind boggled, what does that mean?  I found out that this essentially refers to the personality types you would meet at MIPIM, for example ‘Speed daters’ who would have the art of their offering perfected, but not robotic.  ‘The elevator pitch’ for example was a really handy technique which informs your fellow networker(s) of what you do without being that person who just goes on, and on, and on – don’t be that person.

‘Hard sellers’ – you know the types, those who force their business card upon you before any introduction or shake of a hand.  Perhaps this technique justifies the reason why it was mostly their business cards which were spread across the floor of the hole venue late into the night?

Those of you who saw my pre-MIPIM article, the main advice my colleague Jason Antill gave was to relax, and it’s totally true.  Not only is it in-keeping with the relaxed 15 degree Celsius beach environment, but others, like myself, are more comfortable in a relaxed environment than anything which generally lends itself to decent enjoyable conversations.

I met many likeminded professionals not just from the UK, but from many other countries; Spain, France, Czech Republic, Belgium, US, UAE and Russia to name a few.  Brexit was a keen topic amongst non-UK nationals, but I will leave that one there…

So what next?

I guess like most things in professional life and business, it is only as good as what you put in.  Having had a successful trip, it’s paramount that you follow up with the contacts you made.  Last week was a busy week responding to those we met and indeed it is still ongoing as I write this article.

Overall, everyone I met recognised the opportunity the conference brings, it’s probably the most people I have ever met in such a small window of time.  I would say the spike on LinkedIn also backs that up. Bizarrely, I even found that it was easier to find time to meet at MIPIM than in London amongst busy schedules.

My memories of MIPIM are hugely positive, having met so many great new contacts who were friendly, relaxed, like minded and interested in property. I can really see the benefits for our business and already we are looking forward to MIPIM 2020!