Not everyone is a natural extrovert and sometimes social situations tend to be more of a nightmare than anything. Do you dread the thought of attending a networking event?
We all attend networking events with the best of intentions but, sometimes the “Type-A” personalities can be a bit overwhelming.
Here are five tips for going from socially awkward to networking pro.
Do Your Homework
Know who will be attending the networking event and who you would like to get in with. Research him/her and their company/organization to help keep the conversation going.
Know Your Plan of Attack
Going in to a networking event without having a plan can be very overwhelming. In order to avoid any unwanted pitfalls, map out where your target people/organizations are.
Know Your Talking Points
Stay on track and know what you’ll be talking about. Are you looking for a new career? Are you looking to connect with people in a similar industry? What you hope to get out of the event will help you with your talking points.
Be Yourself
Keep it cool! Be yourself and you can assure yourself a successful networking event.
Follow Up
This cannot be stressed enough. Make sure you get contact information from everyone you’ve met and send them a follow up email. Touch on some talking points that were brought up in your conversation at the event to really stand out from the crowd.
What are some of your best networking practices?