Have you ever walked into a networking event and wanted to walk right back out because you were nervous?
You are not alone.
Walking into a room full of strangers can be intimidating for most people, but particularly if you are an introvert. However, as an entrepreneur, networking is essential to one’s business success.
So, here are 3 tips to make your next networking event a breeze.
Perfect your pitch
Your pitch, sometimes call an elevator speech, is a brief description of the products or services you provide and the clients you serve. Be sure to write and rehearse your pitch before going to a networking event. Having a powerful message you can deliver with impact will help you make connections with business partners and potential clients in any networking environment.
Have a few ice breakers ready
In my work with clients, I often hear “I never know what to say” or “How do I start a conversation?” Here are a few ice breakers to start a conversation with anyone in the room.
“I don’t think we’ve met yet. I’m (name).”
“What brings you to the event?”
“What do you do? / Tell me about your business”
Prepare your Mindset
Before you head into your next event, take a few minutes to get into the right frame of mind. Begin by take a few deep breathes to calm your nerves. Then, set your intention for what you’d like to get out of the event. Do you want to connect with a certain number of connections? Are you looking to meet someone in a specific industry – perhaps someone who can be a referral partner? Having a goal in mind will give make your networking more targeted, reducing an nerves that creep up.
Your mission is to use the 3-steps above to prepare for your next networking event.
Now it’s your turn, what helps you overcome your nerves before a networking event? Post your tips in the comments below.
Great tips, Regina. How short exactly should your pitch be?
Hi Allison – Your pitch should be a few sentences in length and should clearly describe your clients and how you help them. Don’t forget to include the name of your business and you’re good to go!
Great tips Regina! I rarely get nervous now when networking. What has helped me is going there with the intent to connect and learn about people. I’m not thinking about what I can get from them. I’m there to be present to others and if there’s a fit, I share more about my services. I also have come to trust my intuition in that I somehow know what to say to people so they get me. This is so different compared to when I first started networking years ago. Then, I often operated from a place of lack and not-enough. I was so focused on needing to get new clients and I also didn’t trust in the value I provided. So of course I was afraid that I was going to say the wrong thing, that people wouldn’t accept me, etc. etc. It was not pretty 🙂