Wasted $75 on a premium networking event that was just a sales pitch

I went to a downtown Detroit happy hour that promised real connections but every conversation turned into someone pushing their service. Did anyone else fall for the "executive mixer" trap and get stuck with a bunch of upsells instead of actual leads?

2 comments

2 Comments

gibson.mark26d ago

Did you read that article in the Detroit Free Press last month about how half these networking events are just veiled sales pitches dressed up with free drinks? I saw this same thing happen at a "leaders meetup" in Ann Arbor a few weeks back. They sold it as a chance to connect with local business owners, but every table had someone handing out their card and trying to sell you their coaching program. It's like you can't even have a normal conversation anymore without someone trying to pitch you on something. Real connections feel almost impossible to find at these things now. If you want actual leads, you're probably better off just meeting people at a coffeeshop or a real industry event where the focus is on sharing ideas instead of selling packages.

diana_king26d ago

Yeah but the article was actually about the people running those events, not just the attendees. I remember it pointed out how some organizers sell "sponsor packages" to vendors that guarantee them a spot with a table and a mic for a few minutes. The coaches you saw in Ann Arbor paid for that privilege. The real issue is that events marketed as peer connections are often cash grabs by the organizers themselves. Didn't you catch that part about the guy who runs the "Detroit Business Exchange" and how he charges $500 a pop for a five minute pitch slot? Makes you wonder if any of these things are actually about the community or just someone's side hustle.