How to Network at Events: Steve Brossman's Four Ps That Turn Small Talk Into Business

Use Steve Brossman’s Four Ps to give event conversations a clear purpose and turn new connections into useful next steps.

Knowing how to network at events starts with more than a confident introduction. Steve Brossman’s Four Ps give you four possible outcomes to keep in mind: someone may buy, pass on a referral, promote you, or partner with you. Prepare for each possibility before you arrive, and small talk has a clearer path to a useful next step.

Watch: Steve Brossman explains the Four Ps for networking.

Steve Brossman’s Four Ps of networking

As Brossman explains in the video, the Four Ps are four possible outcomes to keep in mind when you go into a networking event, discussion, or breakout room. They give you more to consider than whether the person you meet will become a customer.

1. Purchase: Someone in the room may want to buy from you. Keep it as a possibility, not an assumption. First learn what the other person does and whether your work is relevant to them.
2. Pass on: You might refer someone, or someone might refer you. A relevant referral can be a quick way to build trust because you’re helping make a useful connection.
3. Promote: You may be able to promote someone you meet to your audience, or they may be able to promote you to theirs. Think about who would benefit from hearing about the other person’s work.
4. Partner: You may find someone to collaborate with. A partnership can create opportunities beyond a one-off sale, when you discover a shared audience or a reason to work together.

The point isn’t to force every conversation into a sale or pitch. Keep all four possibilities in mind and listen for what could genuinely help both people.

Before the event: decide what you want to happen

Many people arrive at an event without a clear outcome in mind. They talk to a few people, exchange details, then leave unsure what to do next. A little preparation helps you notice opportunities related to each P.

Before you go:

• Set an intention for each P. For example, think about the kind of person who may need your service, who you could refer, who you could introduce to your audience, and who might make a good collaborator.
• Choose who you want to meet. Consider the people you hope to connect with, such as potential clients, referral partners, or professionals serving a similar audience.
• Prepare your ask and your offer. Be ready to explain who you help and what a useful introduction looks like. Also think about what you can offer others, such as a relevant referral or a chance to promote their work.
• Make your next step easy. Have your contact details ready and be prepared to follow up on a promise.

A Four Ps worksheet for your next event

Fill this in before your next event, conference, breakout session, or business community meeting:

• Purchase: Who might need what I offer? How will I explain it simply?
• Pass on: Who could I refer? Who would be a good referral for me?
• Promote: Whose work could I share with my audience? Who might benefit from hearing about my work?
• Partner: Who might be a good person to collaborate with? What shared opportunity could I explore?
• My ask: What specific introduction, information, or next step would help me?
• My offer: What useful connection or support can I give someone else?

You don’t need a long script. One clear intention for each P is enough to help you enter conversations with purpose.

Use the Four Ps in breakout rooms and small groups

Breakout rooms and small-group sessions can move quickly, so keep the Four Ps in mind as people introduce themselves and describe what they do. Instead of waiting for a perfect opening, listen for a need, a referral opportunity, a possible promotion, or a reason to work together.

Try these simple prompts:

• Purchase: “Who do you usually help, and what are they looking for?”
• Pass on: “Who would be a good person for you to meet?”
• Promote: “Who else should know about the work you’re doing?”
• Partner: “Is there an area where our work or audiences might fit together?”

These are starting points, not a checklist you have to work through with everyone. If a useful connection comes to mind, ask permission before making an introduction. If you spot a possible partnership, suggest a specific follow-up conversation rather than trying to work out every detail in the room.

After you meet: make the next step while it’s fresh

A good conversation can lose momentum when names, details, and promises get buried in your notes. Before you move on, agree on one clear next step. That might be sharing contact details, making an introduction, or arranging a follow-up chat.

A simple follow-up could look like this:

1. Share your details. Send your digital business card while you’re still talking, or soon after. A digital business card is an online profile that lets someone view and save your contact details.
2. Make the promised connection. A warm introduction is a personal connection between people, made with context rather than an unexpected cold message. Briefly explain why you’re connecting them and get their permission first.
3. Follow up while you both remember the conversation. Mention what you discussed and the action you agreed on. Keep it specific and easy to respond to.
4. Keep track of what’s next. Note whether you owe someone a referral, a promotion, or a follow-up about partnering.

How Referron helps you follow through

The Four Ps help you spot the opportunity. Referron helps you act on it and keep track of the connection.

Share your Referron Card by QR code, NFC, or WhatsApp in seconds. A QR code is a scannable code that opens a link; NFC, or near-field communication, lets compatible devices share information when held close together. Recipients can view your card without downloading the app.

When you spot a referral opportunity, Referron’s 3-way referral feature lets you connect two people with context. You can also add new contacts to groups, helping you organise relationships around a community or shared interest. Activity tracking shows introductions and connections in real time, so it’s easier to remember follow-ups. Referron also supports CRM sync: CRM means customer relationship management software, used to organise contacts and sales activity. Referron syncs with Salesforce and GoHighLevel.

You can learn more about sharing cards and making introductions in the Referron resources hub.

Key takeaways

Save this Four Ps checklist for your next event:

• Purchase: Who might buy?
• Pass on: Who could I refer, or who might refer me?
• Promote: Whose work can I help amplify?
• Partner: Who could I collaborate with?
• Prepare one ask and one offer before you arrive.
• Share your details, make agreed introductions, and follow up while the conversation is fresh.

FAQs

What are the Four Ps of networking?

Steve Brossman’s Four Ps are Purchase, Pass on, Promote, and Partner. They describe four possible outcomes to keep in mind at an event: a purchase, a referral, mutual promotion, or a collaboration.

How do I follow up after a networking event?

Refer to the conversation and the next step you agreed on. Send your contact details, make any promised introduction with context, and follow up while you both remember the discussion.

How many contacts should I aim for at one event?

Brossman’s Four Ps video doesn’t set a target number. Rather than focusing on how many people you meet, use the Four Ps to look for relevant connections and agree on clear next steps.

What should I say when someone asks who I want to meet?

Be specific about the people you can help, the people you’re hoping to meet, or the kind of referral you’re looking for. A clear answer makes it easier for someone to recognise a useful connection.

Create your free Referron card and make your next event connection easy to follow up. You can also download the Referron app for iPhone or Android and set up your card on the go.