You’re at a networking event and you notice everyone is in the middle of a conversation. You look at other business leaders who seem to have it figured out. They’re not shy, nor nervous. Instead, they network with confidence and make it look natural. Don’t let them fool you, they needed a lot of work and practice to get there.
Good networking skills don’t come naturally, but they develop over time and practice. You can be just as good a networker as anyone else, even if you tend to be shy. Here are 2 tips on networking.
Know Who Your Target Is
Networking becomes a lot easier when you know who are the types of people you want to connect with. Ahead of your networking event ask yourself these questions:
- How can these people help me grow my business?
- What problems does my business solve?
- How do I find people with those problems?
Talk About Others, Not Yourself
A big misconception about networking is that it’s about you. Opportunity for you to meet new people, and get more business. But that’s not entirely the case. It’s better to think of networking as how you can help others. You help other businesses solve their problems by providing your services or references. When you talk about ways you can help others, networking becomes a lot easier.
Conclusion
Networking is a skill all business owners need to master. There are tips for practicing, but you can’t get good at this skill if you don’t practice it over and over again. So find a networking opportunity and start practicing!