Networking by attending live events is an excellent way to build your personal brand and get involved in your business community. It’s a great way to build genuine and mutually beneficial relationships, help others with your expertise, and ultimately win clients.
But what if you are an introvert, and the thought of attending a live event fills you with dread?
The good news is that networking events have evolved considerably over the years and nowadays are not the stuffy, corporate, and oversalesy events they once were; instead, they come in all shapes and sizes and cater to all types of personalities, interests, and industries.
With this in mind, here are 3 networking tips for introverts to consider.
1. Choose a suitable event
Firstly, you’ll want to be clear about the type of event you want to attend and what your goals are for attending, i.e., what you want to get out of it, such as forming new contacts, learning something new, or building relationships. Not all events will be suitable for you or aligned with your goals, industry, or role. Some may be too far away or outside your budget. So take time to consider what you want to get out of it and also what you can bring to the event. Consider how your knowledge, experience, and talent can help other attendees. When you view an event from a two-way perspective, it becomes less daunting.
If you are worried about going on your own, it’s worth bearing in mind that in this day and age, event organizers and marketers are more conscious of solo attendees, so make an effort to make them feel welcome and part of the event. They may team you up with other solo attendees, sit you with other solo attendees, or suggest sessions that are specifically networking-friendly. Likewise, pre-event, they may send you a curated list of people you might like to connect with based on industry, shared interests, etc., which can help get the conversation started.
At the end of the day, good event organizers want their event to be a success; they want you to go away feeling like you’ve had an enjoyable and productive experience and will be back for more, so they will do everything they can to help make you feel included. If you are not sure if the event is suitable for you, get in touch with the organizer and ask questions beforehand to put your mind at rest.
2. Be prepared
To mitigate the risk of arriving late or not knowing where you’re supposed to be or the timing and location of the session you want to attend, go over the event timetable in advance so you know when and where to be at any specific time during the event. If you are traveling somewhere you’ve never been before, give yourself plenty of time to arrive and allow for contingencies such as late trains, planes, etc., because these things can put you on an immediate back foot and impact your mood (and confidence).
If you know other people who are attending the event, arrange to meet them pre-event for a coffee and catch up, or, if they are in the same area as you, you could arrange to travel to the event together. Attending an event with other familiar faces can be a nice way to ease into it.
It might be that the event is linked to a Facebook or LinkedIn business group or online community where you can network online, both pre-event to warm up and get to know people, and post-event to form part of your follow-up.
Another thing you can do is prepare a short, friendly personal intro to have on hand that introduces who you are and what you do when you meet new people. It can even be something fun or a way just to say ‘I’m new here’. Don’t overthink it; it’s just something to spark a conversation that doesn’t sound scripted or awkward.
You could even prep a few questions or have interesting topics to talk about. While you don’t want to force a conversation on anyone, it’s good to remember that people attend networking events to connect with others, and while they might not look approachable, it may be that they are feeling awkward too and would love to speak with someone like you. You’ll find that once you start speaking to one person, you’ll gain confidence to speak to more.
3. Consider hosting your own event
This may sound counterintuitive, but if you are an introvert, you’ll know firsthand what it feels like at live events, so you’d be in a great position to help other fellow introverts with an introvert-friendly event. You’ll know what ‘icebreakers’ can be an instant put off for introverts, and the type of event they would prefer.
An event doesn’t have to be a grand affair either; it could be a cozy local meetup or cover something specific, such as a workshop on networking tips for introverts or a co-working session. By hosting your own event, you are transforming something that once could have held you back into something that propels you forward.
And when it comes to managing your event, EventSchedule is the perfect tool for managing calendars, ticket sales, QR check-ins, AI-powered tools, translations, and team collaboration all from one platform. You can also integrate it with Invoice Ninja, a free, leading invoicing software, to offer a wide range of payment options. Check it out here, and try Invoice Ninja for free here.
You’ve got this!
