Hey are you an introvert like me, figuring out an easy and approachable way to network in this Titanic buzzing world? Networking is a fun and never-ending journey of our lives.
Networking is no more just shaking hands with random guys or saying Hi, Hello, and How are you?
I can say that networking is the art of establishing your persona in other’s minds and hearts. It’s a way of making yourself unforgettably known to somebody else.
Networking is nothing but bridging a connection or a healthy relationship to earn trust, reliable partners, credibility, and authority in a respective environment.
Thankfully, networking isn’t exclusively for extroverts. The one who can talk more does not mean he can excel in networking. This friendly Introvert’s guide to networking is based on my own experiences and I’ll be happy to share them with you.
To excel in networking it doesn’t matter whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, what matters is how good you are at following things….
- Earning trust and credibility through your act, work, or behavior.
- How well do you present yourself in work culture?
- How Compassionate, authentic, and reliable you are?
- How generous, courageous, and sincere are you?
- How good are you at understanding others?
In short, if you want to create a long-lasting powerful impression on others, then you need to be a good and bold human being.
Common networking challenges faced by introverts and their solutions
- Initiating conversation
- Keep your starting scripts ready
- Self Comparison
- Focus on learning and not comparing
- Crowded events
- Attend events early when fewer people have arrived.
- Group setting
- Start with small groups
- Follow-up
- Ask for follow-through text-based communications
- Fear of rejection
- In networking, rejection won’t exist. Either they will remember you or forget you based on how you present yourself.
- Networking expectations
- Focus on earning trust and not outcomes.
- Negotiations skill
- Offer what’s mutually beneficial for both.
- Imposter syndrome
- Be in the present time and keep realistic goals. Don’t hallucinate yourself in a negative zone.
So are you ready to dive into the journey of building powerful relations then stay tuned with the article.
Best ways for effective Networking for an Introvert
Sharing
So let’s start with a simple question!
Why do people network? What is the basic cause behind networking?
The answer is simple:
It’s similar to why and how students make friends in colleges and schools.
It’s very similar to why we have girlfriends or boyfriends.
Can anyone tell me why we make friends?
I think there isn’t any definite answer to this.
But there is a common reason that forces us to make friends. i.e sharing. Am I Right?
We often say that
Friendship = Give and Take. isn’t it?
Friendship is nothing but sharing or exchanging stuff in between. Sharing can be of anything like…..
values and thoughts
helping in needs
Emotional support
knowledge and money
Absolutely of anything
The give-and-take or exchanges keep the pedals of relations in motion. Without sharing or helping others all relations, connections, or networks are just empty Shell.
So my friend begin your networking journey by being a compassionate, generous, and reliable man.
If you’re one, who is kind to others, shares resources as a help with others, and is reliable- and trustworthy then people around you will automatically start connecting to you.
Needs and desires
We work, work, and keep working hard because our work is helping us in achieving our desires and fulfilling our needs. Isn’t it, your desires and needs are influencing your next act and work life.
Our needs and desires are something which play an important role in directing our future actions.
For example:
If you desire a healthy and muscular body then, your future steps would be working in the gym, following a healthy lifestyle and diet, and connecting with a fitness trainer. Am I sounding Right?
We most often connect or network with those people who have the potential to help us achieve our desired goals and who can help us fill our empty stomachs.
Unless and until you aren’t able to help yourself, How would you even think of making a positive impact in someone else’s life? What I mean to say is, make yourself capable enough to help others as well as yourself.
And How come that’s gonna happen?
How can you make yourself capable?
Simply by working on yourself, by polishing your skills, talents, and knowledge, by improving your overall physical as well as mental personality.
In short, just make yourself capable enough to help others in your office or a company or an industry or anywhere, in achieving their goals, and desires and in helping with their problems. This will help you in building healthy relationships with people around you.
But keep in mind that, the real benefit of networking is only when there’s a balance between give and take. If there’s only giving and no taking from your side then it simply means you’re just use and throw material. Never in life let others suck your energy for their benefit and selfish desires. If it’s so then that’s not networking.
Try to be the better if not best
Build a strong attractive presence and authority in the market so people around you get pulled towards you.
We all indirectly or directly get obsessed with good, better, or best things.
Imagine there are two things, getting
first will increase your value, fame, and status in society and second will decline your value in society.
What would you go after? First, the thing which will make your personality luxurious in the society you will choose that one.
Similarly in networking people willingly love to network with quality guys. If you hold a loose character or below-average personality you’re more likely to get ignored by people around you.
How many of you are craving to connect with me? let’s assume no one if you want, then thank you for considering me.
But what if instead of me, you got the chance to build a relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo? Will you? More chances are that you will?
If you can build connections and strong relationships with Cristiano Ronaldo, it will enhance your fame, value, and status in society. And who doesn’t want that prestigious status?
Let’s assume that you are the best in your field. Let’s say you are the best fitness trainer in your country.
As you are the best fitness trainer in your country, guys who are interested in fitness training will try to catch up with you for training.
But along with students other people who want to become fitness coaches or gym trainers will also try to connect with you for your guidance and assistance in their career growth.
Despite them all being good fitness coaches or even better coaches but in order to become the best coach like you, they are seeking your helping hand. That’s how networking came into play.
It is possible that by being the best in your field, be it the best painter, best dancer, best sportsman, or best lawyer, building connections will be easy.
Good gets attracted towards better and better gets attracted towards the Best.
And here “best” does not mean that he is the supreme or the perfect. The best here is one, who keeps learning mode ON and keeps adapting and updating himself with the time. Otherwise, he will get buried with time.
First Impression very important
How you present yourself determines the way others view and form perceptions about you.
Your first encounter with anyone has the potential to decide future relationships and meetings with that fellow.
So you have to be very careful in
- How do you initiate a conversation?
- How do you present yourself in conversation?
- How do you sound?
- How are your body language and facial expressions?
- And whatever you feel to take into consideration.
Before putting yourself in any conversation, be it social or professional, keep in mind that your first conversation will tell a lot about you, it will paint an entire movie about your personality in the minds of the listener.
People will surely judge and evaluate you, based on your first encounter with them.
We often say “Hey, don’t judge a book by its cover” but people do and they keep judging and they will. This is a bitter truth.
But by being a smart man, we can easily take advantage of being judged and evaluated.
Here’s how we can do so,
Yeah, we cannot stop others from judging and evaluating us but we can influence their perception and we can direct their evaluation by our performance.
For example
We don’t have to stop people from Judging a book by its cover. Instead, we should focus on designing the cover of a book in such a way that it should force them to either buy the book Or Praise it and promote it using word of mouth.
Your Brand Image is completely upon your take of action.
Learn to Initiate Conversation
If you are an introvert looking for the best ways to initiate a conversation, here are some which you might love.
Being an introvert, I know how daunting it feels to initiate a conversation with someone new to you. But that doesn’t mean that introverts are shy or quiet fellows.
Rather they’re very talkative but not with everyone.
They’re very engaging and expressive but not on every topic.
Here are some ways which will help you in giving your best in any conversation….
Have a prepared starter ready in your mouth.
For example
Let’s say you’ve got an invitation to a public speaking event. Then do a little bit of research about… … .
whom you’re gonna meet there?
What will be the potential topic you will be going to discuss?
Being ready with starters helps in smooth conversation for a long time.
It will also allow you to lead the conversation.
Greet with a loud voice and smiling face.
A louder voice will grab their attention and a smiling face will attract their mind. Never sounds low.
Start with Compliment Or by offering help in a respective situation.
Attend social events early to gain the benefits of the waiting area.
When there are fewer people in the beginning it will be easy for you to initiate connections.
Learning jokes and humor is the best way to connect.
Conversation is both talking and listening so you have to express your curiosity in their talks also.
Be ready with a personal Introduction
scripts.
Express yourself not just by your mouth but also using your body expression.
Practice yourself in front of the mirror to get confidence.
You can always bring your friends to events. It will help you won’t feel lonely.
Having Clear Goals
Having a clear goal or aim in mind will help you direct your flow in choosing the right people at the right place. Conversation without a goal is meaningless and in professional life it’s worthless.
I don’t prefer to engage in casual or leisure talk when it’s my first encounter. If you do, you will lose your impressions.
Would you wanna become a laughter doll? If yes then begin your first conversation with a casual and humorous tone, you will only left being a laughter doll.
But bitterly you will not be able to build that brand authority about yourself and in the end, you will be taken for granted and will be ignored like a blow of Passing air.
Don’t be the Passing Air, Be a Tornado.
Your goal is to gain trust and build your authority as a personal brand. You don’t have to seek anything but you have to earn and gain all the things.
Of course, you can get in touch with your connections in a casual manner but not in the first instance, plan it when your connections become your relations, when they get deeper in relations then you can engage in rubbish talk and leisure activities.
Leveraging Online Platforms for Introverted Networking Success
Nowadays, we all spend most of our time in an online world. Whether it’s connecting with our loved ones, doing office work, or shopping for daily groceries, everything is possible through online mode.
Then, why not leverage online mediums to connect with people you want to?
Why not network with like-minded people using social media? I mean, we should.
Networking with new people is more easy, comfortable, affordable, and achievable using social media as compared to one-on-one meetings.
For introverts who were feeling too dizzy to join physical meetups, this is like a boon.
To grow your social media networks, focus on creative, high-quality, and relevant content. Here, no doubt, content is the king.
Your content is the key to successful networking and growth on social media.
