Hosting a Smart Connect℠ event puts you at the center of meaningful connections between your Group and/or Alliance members. This guide covers everything you need to know: from creating your event to closing it out all in one place.
Looking for a specific topic?
- How to Set Up a Smart Connect Event
- How to Run a Smart Connect Event
- Smart Connect Follow-Up Best Practices
Alert: Only Group Leaders can host Smart Connect℠ events.
Creating the event
Choose the Smart Connect℠ option when you plan to run 5 or more 1:1 breakout sessions in an hour. This ensures members receive the right email notification, sets the right expectations, and makes your event searchable in Alignable's event discovery page and group carousel.
You do not need to include "Smart Connect" in your event title. Use a shorter, more compelling title that focuses on who attendees will meet or what they'll get.
Good examples: "Meet 1:1 with Women Business Owners" or "Meet a New Connection Every 7 Minutes."
Other hosting options:
Host your event on Alignable's video platform — Use for learn & network events, educational events, hybrid events, or networking events with fewer than 5 breakout sessions.
Before attendees arrive
If you want to test your audio, screenshare, or settings before the event starts, join more than 15 minutes before the scheduled start time. Once you click Launch Event, the event is open — test everything beforehand. You can also lock the meeting after launching and unlock it when you're ready to let people in.
Use the latest version of Chrome or Edge for the best hosting experience. Firefox and Safari work for attendees, but host from Chrome or Edge whenever possible.
Bringing the energy
Greet attendees with energy as they join — it sets the tone for the entire event. Playing upbeat background music is a great way to create atmosphere. To share music, open your music source (YouTube, Spotify, etc.), share your screen, select the specific Chrome tab with the music, and click play to share the audio.
Ice breakers
Ice breakers
Smart Connect events are not random networking. The matching engine puts the right people in the room based on profiles, so every conversation has potential. Your job as a host is to help attendees unlock that potential quickly.
Before you send people into their first breakout session, set the mindset with something like this:
“Today we’re going to focus on the first three steps of the ALIGN method: Acquaint, Like, and Identify. After the event ends, it’s up to you to take steps G and N to start seeing real business outcomes.”
Here is what those steps look like in a breakout session:
Acquaint. Meet someone new and learn their story. Your profile and Alignable’s engine already did the matching for you.
Like. Go beyond the pitch and find genuine common ground. Use the guided questions to confirm interest, not to sell.
Identify. Have the value conversation. Decide if you can refer business to each other. If the answer is yes, click Connect after the event.
Skip “what do you do.” It puts everyone in pitch mode and nobody listens. Instead, use these two questions to open each round:
- Share your current challenge or goal.
- Ask each other who your ideal customer is and how you might help each other.
When attendees return to the main room, invite 1 or 2 people to share their answer. It keeps the energy up between rounds.
Troubleshooting during the event
If an attendee appears offline or can't get in — ask them to refresh their browser. If that doesn't help, direct them to the Troubleshooting a Smart Connect Event article.
If the breakout room button doesn't move people into sessions — wait a few seconds. The server will catch up on its own. Use the moment to repeat your ice breaker question.
If screenshare isn't working — check that your browser has permission to record your screen. On a Mac using macOS Sequoia 10.15 or later: go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Screen Recording and check the box for Chrome or Firefox.
Handling account sharing
If you suspect an attendee is joining on someone else's behalf, you're not required to confront them publicly. Use your judgment during the event. Afterward, report the incident via the report form or from their profile, and remove them from the Smart Connect. Do not approve future registrations from the same account if the pattern continues. Account sharing violates Alignable's Terms of Service.
Cancellations and rescheduling
If you need to cancel or reschedule, do so at least 24 hours in advance and send an event announcement so registrants are notified.
Closing the event
Leave 3 to 5 minutes at the end to thank attendees, invite them to your next event, and share reminders about your group or Alliance. When you're ready to end, click the red End Event button — do not just close your browser tab. Clicking End Event takes you and all attendees to a post-event page showing everyone they met in a breakout session.
Remind attendees that Smart Connect℠ events run across Alignable continuously. During networking week, you may see brand new members joining — take a moment to tell them what your community is all about.