8 Tips to Help You Network with Confidence When We're Back in Person

Hopefully, we will all be getting back to in person networking in the near future! So here are a few reminders to help you feel more comfortable and confident.

1. Make a list of 5 potential groups to join; consider nonprofit organizations as well as business groups.
   1. Research the organizations online to see what they do, who is involved, past events, etc.
2. Don’t forget that networking doesn’t just happen at business groups, it can be very effective to join boards of nonprofits, so check out their websites to see who else is already a board member
3. Register for a meeting
   1. If there is someone you know in the group, call and ask if they are attending
4. Invite someone to go with you to ease any nervousness you may be feeling
5. Be sure to spread out once you arrive and sit with other people
6. Make a plan
   1. What’s your goal for the meeting?
      1. To walk away with at least one business card that has value, i.e., referral source; potential client
   2. Introduce yourself to someone you have been wanting to meet
   3. Perfecting your introduction
   4. Get tips from the speaker
   5. Practice your 30 – 60 second introduction ahead of time so that if you are asked to stand up and introduce yourself you will have more confidence
      1. Remember to think about the problem you solve for your clients rather than what you ‘sell’ – people want help, they don’t want to be sold something
   6. When you go
      1. Show up 15 minutes early, introduce yourself to the registration team
   7. You’ll find a few others who show up early and they are often anxious to make connections as well
   8. SMILE – it will make you feel better and others are attracted to people who seem positive and happy
   9. Wear your name badge
      1. have one made for your company at a local printer or online so you always have it on hand and your company is prominently featured and your name is spelled correctly
   10. Introduce yourself to others and then ask questions; listening first is a good practice
       1. Ask what they do
   11. Think of how you can help or connect them to someone else you know
   12. Ask for their card before handing over yours; write on the back of the card where and when you met
   13. Ask the team coordinating for specific people in attendance, e.g. for them to point out someone you want to meet and introduce you
   14. Let people know what you might be looking for, i.e., how they can help you
   15. After the meeting
       1. Enter information from each card you collected into a spreadsheet or sales software tool (CRM) including the date you met, what organization hosted the meeting, who else they are connected to, etc.
   16. Follow up within 2-3 days with an email to say it was nice to meet them and provide any information you promised
   17. Consider the organization –
       1. Was it a good fit for you?
   18. How else can you get involved?
   19. Who is on committees or the board that you want to meet?
   20. Should you join or just attend another meeting to get a better sense of the members?
7. Remember that practice improves everything
   1. Go to more meetings; go outside your comfort zone
8. Reach out to people who seem new or lost; introduce them to others. Be a connector!

I’ve been networking for over 30 years and there are still times when I get a little nervous attending something new by myself. When I do, I take a deep breath, smile and enter the room. I find that I always walk away with either a tip from the speaker or presentation that I can use or share with someone else or I meet someone that is a good source of business or that I can refer to someone else. It is always beneficial.