If you can get past these five obstacles to networking, you can boost your career and business.
Any business that wants to succeed needs to be able to connect with people. At professional networking events, you can get to know people on a more personal level and build relationships that are good for business. These events are important for anyone who wants to grow their business or advance in their career.
Many people just don't feel comfortable walking into a room full of strangers and starting conversations. Here are five common problems you might run into and some ways to solve them.
A RELUCTANCE TO TALK TO STRANGERS. You were taught at an early age not to speak to people you don't know. It's not safe. There are still times when this is good advice. But in business, talking to strangers is a good way to get people interested in your products and services and to get their support. If you only talk to people you already know, you'll miss out on chances to meet new people and make connections that could be useful.
Set a goal for yourself before you go to a networking event to help you talk to people you don't know. Choose how many new people you want to meet or how many people you already know. In some situations, you may specifically go after people you'd like to meet.
Next, think of some ways to break the ice or start a conversation. Have questions ready that you can ask everyone you meet. You might want to ask other people about their businesses, how they are connected to the sponsoring group, or what they think of the venue.
LACK OF AN OFFICIAL START. It's much easier to meet someone new when someone else introduces you and clears the way. If you wait for someone else to move first, you might never meet anyone. The goal of networking events is to meet as many people as you can.
Now is the time to walk up to people you don't know, introduce yourself, and start a conversation. You can do this if you have already thought about how you will introduce yourself.
You won't always tell people who you are in the same way. Maybe this is your first time going to a meeting of a group. If so, you might want to say that as part of your introduction. Tell people who you are and why you're there. Give them a reason to want to know more about you.
FEAR OF BEING SEEN AS PUSHY. You might think that being assertive will turn people off and that if they want to talk to you, they will approach you. If you think this way, you'll spend the whole time at the reception or meeting by yourself and leave without making a single new connection. People are not turned off by people who are open, friendly, and interested.
If you look for people who are "approachable," you won't come across as too pushy. These are the people who are standing alone or talking to three or more people. You can't go up to two people who are talking to each other because they might be having a private conversation that you would be intruding on.
THINKING THAT OTHER PEOPLE MAY NOT LIKE YOU. There is always a chance that the other person is not interested in you and doesn't want to meet or talk to you. It's true. Don't take it personally if that's the case. If you don't try, you won't get anywhere. When someone gives you the cold shoulder, smile, move on, and think, "Next?"
BEING MISUNDERSTOOD IN WHAT YOU INTEND. It might seem more like flirting than networking to go up to someone of the opposite sex and start talking to them. This is a bigger deal for women than for men. Women have the same right to work as men do, and they need to make business connections just like men do. When there is an opportunity, women in business can no longer afford to wait.
No one will misunderstand a man or a woman's intentions if they dress professionally and keep the conversation focused on business issues or other topics that are not personal or private.
Face your problems before the next networking event and come up with a plan for how to get past them. Once you do, you'll always be able to connect with confidence and kindness, and the results will show in your bottom line.
(c) 2005, Lydia Ramsey. All rights are reserved in all forms.
