If you think the business of G2E starts when you badge in and hit the show floor, you’re already late. The action kicked off two weeks ago on LinkedIn while you were swiping through your feed, pretending you “don’t really use it.” Spoiler: Everyone does, including the people you’re hoping to do deals with.
LinkedIn is the pregame. It matters, because four out of five LinkedIn members drive business decisions (Sprout Social). That means the people you spent thousands of dollars flying to meet in Vegas have already noticed who’s posting smart takes and who still has a profile photo cropped from the family Christmas card.
If you’re not active on LinkedIn before G2E, you’ve already made networking harder for yourself. You can still show up, but all your conversations start cold. And cold conversations don’t close deals.
The LinkedIn Crimes
Let’s address the biggest offenders.
- The background. What is this default LinkedIn wallpaper? The geometric swoosh? The blurry stock photo skyline? Your banner is a free billboard. Use it.
- The profile picture. Is it a car selfie? Or worse, a cropped light and airy family photo with a sliver of your partner’s head still in the corner? Please. We can do better. Get yourself a proper headshot.
- The headline. “Experienced Gaming Professional.” Okay. At what? Who cares? You might as well put, “I work here, please clap.” Your headline should tell people what you actually do, not serve as a vague fortune cookie.
- The activity level. If your last post was from 2017 announcing a new job, you’re sending one message loud and clear: “I use LinkedIn only when I’m job hunting.” That is not the vibe.
If this is how your LinkedIn looks, you’re fading into the mist. And at an event where everyone is competing for attention, invisibility feels like the worst strategy you can choose. LinkedIn is the one place you get to script the first impression before the chaos begins. It lets you show up warm instead of cold, familiar instead of forgettable.
How to Actually Use LinkedIn Ahead of G2E
- Update your profile. Banner, headshot, headline. Look alive. Nobody does business with a ghost profile.
- Make a target list. Write down the 20 people or companies you most want to connect with. Follow them. Engage now. Show up in their notifications before you show up in Vegas.
- Warm the room. Like, comment, or reshare posts from the people you want to meet. That way, your handshake in Vegas isn’t the first impression, it’s a continuation.
- Scale the impression. A booth visit might get you five conversations. A LinkedIn post could get you 5,000 views and the right 50 people noticing.
- Follow-up insurance. Every meeting ends with, “Let’s connect after.” If you’ve been active in someone’s feed, your follow-up isn’t a cold ping. It feels familiar. And familiar is how deals get made.
- Post with purpose. One to two posts a week in the lead-up are enough. Highlight a recent success, share what you’re excited to learn at G2E, brag on your team. Skip the press release unless it comes with a story people will actually care about.
- Comment smarter. Do not just hit “like.” Leave a quick thoughtful comment that adds value. That one comment might do more for your visibility than a polished post.
- Send the DM. A light non-salesy note: “Looking forward to seeing you at G2E, would love to say hello.” That’s it. No pitch slap. Networking should feel human.
Takeaway
LinkedIn is where you get to control the narrative before it all begins. Update your profile. Connect with people before you land. Post something that makes you memorable. Engage like a real person.
Because when you walk into G2E, the conversations you want should not be starting cold. They should already be warm.
