Networking Confidence for Introverts
Confidence when networking is important for building relationships. It doesn't matter whether you're an introvert, an extrovert or the average person who is somewhere between the two.
You can have a much more successful business when you have powerful networking skills. Your personal relationships benefit. The person who's confident when interacting with others has a higher level of self-esteem. They enjoy a self-belief that they are capable in networking situations.
That's not to say that introverts don't have wonderful and rewarding lives. It's simply that their view of life is different from an extroverted person.
It's often believed that introverts dislike interacting with people. That's almost never the case. They would just prefer to spend more time on their own and with smaller groups. Next to alone, one-to-ones are where they feel more comfortable.. Being alone is how they recharge their energy. The extroverted person recharges by spending a lot of time with other people. The energy feeds them.
Each of these individuals is different in many ways, and no one approach is worse or better than the other.
However, introverts often want to be better at networking. They understand they can improve their business if they had more confidence when dealing with people.
If this sounds like you, here are 4 ways that can help introverts build confidence when networking:
Introverts can enjoy networking just as much as introverts and, in many cases, they do. The difference is that the introverted person loses physical and mental energy when networking too frequently or for too long.
If you want to perform better when networking, limit your exposure. Pick your events carefully. Don't try to be everywhere all the time. Plan short periods of time where you're going to expand your networking over the next few months. When you feel your energy starting to wane during an event, say your goodbyes and find a place where you can recharge.
You might be an introvert that doesn't have much experience interacting with others. That's okay. You can learn how to network. Do some preparation before you attend an event.
Who do you want to meet? What's the environment going to be like? This type of homework can help you succeed at networking events and become more confident.
Networking is a long-term strategy to develop relationships that lead to benefits for both people in the relationship. If you are extremely introverted, take one step at a time when networking.
Maybe the first thing you want to do is plan one event a month with a smaller organization or group. It's going to be another 30 days before the next event, which gives you plenty of time to recharge.
Once you're comfortable with one, then look for another networking opportunity. Arrange follow-up meetings with people you meet over coffee or lunch so the next time you network, you know more people and will feel more comfortable.
This is one of the hardest things to deal with. Introverts aren't scared of people. They just prefer to spend smaller amounts of time networking and dislike being in larger groups.
If you're attending an event such as a conference or seminar with hundreds or thousands of people, try to find smaller groups or individuals you can talk with. There are plenty of people just like you watching from the outskirts that you can approach.
If this is you, and you want to build your networking skills, I hope the tips I shared with you can help you overcome that nervousness when networking.
It's time to step out of your comfort zone.
What's your number one fear when attending networking events? Let me know in the comments below.
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Steve Black
My passion is to help small businesses get access to the systems, tools and resources to help them get better referrals, better customers and have better businesses.
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