Connect with BYUMS chapters after the conference

The 2019 BYU Management Society Asia Pacific Conference in Mongolia created connections among students, entrepreneurs, speakers, judges and business leaders. Knowing how to connect with BYUMS chapters across the region after the event is what turns those brief encounters into an ongoing professional network, especially when the conference has ended and everyone returns to different countries and time zones.

Australian participants can maintain momentum by identifying nearby chapters, sharing useful ideas and building relationships that benefit both local businesses and the wider Asia-Pacific community. The Believe & Achieve competition, breakout sessions and previous regional conferences all provide natural conversation starters for reconnecting with people whose experience or interests complement your own.

Keep the momentum from Mongolia

Start by turning conference contacts into a manageable list rather than a collection of business cards. Record each person’s organisation, role, country and the topic that prompted your conversation. Send a personalised thank-you message within 48 hours, mentioning something specific from your discussion and one point you would like to explore further.

Follow-up messages work best when they contain a focused question about market access, digital marketing, leadership or entrepreneurship. Australian members often operate across different schedules: Perth is two hours behind Sydney, while Melbourne is normally one hour ahead. Recording local time and suggesting a suitable call window shows consideration without expecting an immediate response.

Locate relevant chapters nearby

Use the BYUMS Asia-Pacific chapter information and examples from previous conferences to identify groups connected to your industry, city or university. Chapters in major hubs such as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane may offer the strongest concentration of alumni, while members in Adelaide, Perth and regional centres can provide valuable perspectives on smaller markets.

Contact chapter leaders with a short introduction explaining your conference involvement, local work and the contribution you hope to make. A request for a 20-minute conversation is usually more effective than asking to attend a meeting immediately. If you are new to the organisation, explain how you discovered BYUMS and why continuity after Mongolia matters to you.

Build a regular local meeting rhythm

A useful network needs regular contact rather than one annual reminder. Australian business communities often meet for an early coffee, breakfast or informal coworking session, so these formats can work well for BYUMS alumni. A short gathering in Sydney’s CBD or Melbourne’s business districts makes it easier for people to attend before work and creates room for several conversations.

Members outside capital cities can join through video calls, combining an online chapter update with a local coffee event. Hybrid gatherings also allow speakers from Mongolia and other Asia-Pacific locations to participate without creating substantial travel costs. Keep the format focused, such as one speaker, two case studies and a discussion about one practical business challenge.

Develop partnerships with chapters

Australian businesses, not-for-profits and small and medium-sized enterprises can offer chapters access to practical case studies, industry speakers or mentoring. Frame the contribution around a specific outcome, such as helping a student team test a business idea or giving young leaders exposure to an Australian operating environment. Budgets should clearly account for Australian-dollar costs and the GST treatment applicable to the arrangement.

Flexible participation is valuable when a chapter changes its format or when an Australian speaker needs to adjust to a different audience. The perspective in adapting to last-minute changes explains why composure, audience awareness and resourcefulness can make a speaking engagement more effective.

Share regional insights with local relevance

Conference learning becomes more valuable when it is tested in another market. The BYUMS resource on digital marketing across Asia can help Australian members compare approaches to customer acquisition, content, mobile commerce and regional brand building. It also offers a useful basis for conversations with local chapters.

Adapt those insights rather than copying them directly. Australian consumers may respond differently to campaigns developed in Singapore, Mongolia or another part of Asia, particularly across price-sensitive and geographically dispersed communities. Presenting what worked, what failed and how the approach changed can give other chapters more useful knowledge than a polished success story without context.

Follow up with care and compliance

Store contact details only when there is a legitimate reason to keep them, and explain why you are requesting permission to communicate. Where the Privacy Act 1988 applies, organisations should follow the Australian Privacy Principles by collecting information fairly, using it only for the stated purpose and allowing people to access or correct their details. This protects both the network and the trust of its members.

Commercial follow-up also falls under Australia’s Spam Act 2003. Messages should identify the sender, provide relevant business details and stop when recipients no longer wish to receive them. A simple contact record can include the date of consent, the chapter involved, the last conversation and any communication preferences. Reviewing the list quarterly keeps the network personal, accurate and free from unnecessary data.

Recognise contributions and sustain the network

Recognise speakers, mentors, judges and Believe & Achieve participants who helped strengthen the regional conversation. A short LinkedIn post, chapter newsletter mention or online introduction can acknowledge their contribution while introducing them to Australian members facing similar challenges. Public recognition also encourages future speakers to volunteer and makes new participants aware of the organisation’s active community.

Measure the relationship through participation, repeat events and shared projects rather than the number of contacts added. Follow up with former Mongolia attendees, invite them to contribute a breakout topic and connect them with chapters in their field. A durable BYUMS network turns a single conference into continuing cooperation between Australian participants and business communities throughout the region.