Ask attendees for their cell phone number at events and text them instead of emailing. Most people give it to avoid seeming rude. Texting bypasses crowded inboxes and creates immediate, personal connection where email gets lost.
The easiest way to get someone's phone number at an event that you're hosting is just pull out the phone and say, hey, what's your cell? I'll text you right now so you have my number too. Most people will just give you the number. They're too uncomfortable to say no. They'd rather give you the number and then just be like, I just won't respond if they message me. So then regardless of the situation with this guy, whether you got his number from his registration or whatever, once you met him at the event, I would not send another email unless it was something I wanted forwarded or I want to set a meeting invite. From that point on, I'm texting the guy. And call on a cell phone. Like, I've already— we've graduated from email and getting in your inbox. Now I go direct to your cell phone.
