Hey Sarena,
I’d say you’re a better networker than you think, y’know. Here are a few tips that have worked for me:
Going to an event alone can be so nerve-wracking. I can totally relate to arriving somewhere, scanning around for the bar ‘in panic’, and making a beeline for it in order to feel purposeful. I’ve found that taking a prop can be super helpful — it acts as an icebreaker and gives you something to do with your hands if you feel nervous. No need to bring anything obnoxious, but having a book you love, a stack of post-its and a coloured pen, or even a brilliant piece of print marketing or a funny postcard would be great things to have on hand.
The time + money investment is a tough one. There’s no way that every event is going to bring an amazing new contact into your life, but there’s always value to be found somewhere. I had a run of unsatisfying events a few months back (poorly organised, unprepared speakers, no mics, non-inclusive vibe etc) but I made it my mission to get something from them despite my disappointment. Seeing poorly-prepared speakers inspired me to create a new 10-minute speaking gig package to offer my clients. Experiencing an exclusive atmosphere pushed me to take action and start challenging my own language and approach. I bonded with another attendee over the complete lack of space and poor organisation of one networker and now we go hiking together. There’s always something.
Sparking a connection and following up afterwards is key to reaping the benefits of networking. I find a great opener is to go up to a group of people who seem to be having fun and say “You look friendly, mind if I join for a bit?” and then, rather than ask what they do (which can be bland, let’s face it) I ask what or who brought them here, and what they’re looking for. This opens up the conversation to how you can help or offer an introduction and leaves people with a great impression of you. Before you head out, ask “how would you like to stay in touch? Are you a LinkedIn, email or Instagram kinda person?” Send them a short message, or comment on a post of theirs the next day that shows that you remembered something them said.
I’ll leave it there, but if you ever want to talk more on this, let me know — or if you want a networking buddy in Toronto, then drop me a line.
Hope this helps,
Katy
