Networking Tips for First-Time Attendees

In a world where your online profile could be your first handshake, the age-old art of in-person networking can feel like a lost relic. Yet, there’s an undeniable magic in the live, human connection that no digital interface can replicate. So, when you're stepping into the arena of face-to-face networking, how do you harness that magic effectively? Let’s break down the strategic play into clear, actionable tactics for making a lasting impact. Invent a Signature Ice-Breaker: Create an engaging question or share an interesting anecdote that’s personal and reflective of your interests. Rehearse it enough so that it feels natural, allowing you to deliver it with confidence and ease. Enter with Purpose: Clarify your intentions before the event. Are you there to find new clients, potential partners, or maybe to scout for new talent? With every handshake and introduction, have a clear objective in mind to drive the conversation. Ask with Precision: Arm yourself with well-thought-out questions that are relevant to current industry trends and individual expertise. Aim to get deeper insights by asking for examples and experiences, not just surface-level information. Listen Actively: Show genuine interest in responses, maintaining eye contact and responsive body language. Build on their replies with thoughtful, engaging follow-up questions. Exchange Value: Go into every conversation with the mindset of what you can offer them—an idea, a connection, or even just an interesting conversation. True networking is reciprocal; aim to provide value in every exchange. Connect and Follow Up: Whether you prefer a classic business card or a digital link, have your contact information readily accessible. Cement new connections with a personalized follow-up message within a day of the meeting. With these tactics in your arsenal, you’re ready to turn every networking opportunity into a strategic stepping stone for your professional journey. Remember, it’s the quality of the connections, not just the quantity, that builds a robust network.

👻👻 A (professional) introvert's guide to making Networking Events Less Spooky 👻👻 If you fear networking events, copy my playbook. True story: I fear "networking events" on multiple levels. If biz dev wasn't part of my role with Remedy Public Relations, I'd be happy with a more behind-the-scenes role mentoring & strategizing (#careergoals). How do I make it "seem" easy? Preparation & strategy. 1. Show up EARLY. It's easier to strike up a conversation at the beginning than try to inject yourself after. 2. Be distinct. I like to wear one piece of flair that relates to who I am outside the office. My long-distance running shoes (Nike Zoom Fly Five / Hyper Pink), are a conversation starter. ⛳️ Do you play golf? Wear a golf shirt from a brand that only fellow golfers would know. IYKYK 3. Don't rush in. Whenever possible, I'll work remotely near the event. This gives me time to relax & collect myself before walking in. 4. Don't ask what someone does. That's transactional & many fear that question if they're between roles. Ask what they're up to. Let them choose the path. 5. Talk to everyone. I HATE the term referral partners, but I've received some great leads from people far removed from PR & marketing. 6. Plan to chat. Prepare to discuss something you're working on that you're excited about. - No one likes someone who only talks about their job. Be prepared to get personal. What did you do the weekend before that was exciting, or what are you looking forward to this weekend? Sound obvious? Sure… but I can barely remember what I had for lunch yesterday, so if you put me on the spot, I may forget if I didn't prepare. 7. Slide into those DMs. See who registered you want to meet & drop them a note. No list? Check who posted about going to the last event on social media. Drop them a note. 8. What's a challenge you or your industry is facing? Keep that in mind for conversations. 9. Work on your penmanship. If you have to write your own nametag at an event, it helps if people can read it. We also have little Remedy PR stickers to throw at the bottom of the nametags. Side note: Jonah Peake 🐺 has posted before about putting your nametag upside down to spark conversations. 10. Check your network to see who is going, but don't cling to them. I saw a lot of people I know & like at Connect's #IDSD24 a few weeks back, but I didn't sit with anyone too long. Move around. 11. Consistency brings comfort. Commit to a regular series of events so you start seeing some of the same people. It will make conversations less daunting & keep you in mind for later. 12. Stress builds strength. I try to commit to one new event or meeting a month that takes me outside my bubble. Makes the next one easier. 13. Drop a line to them after you meet. Keep the ball moving. Some pics below of people I met for the first time or strengthened relationships by going to networking events within the last six weeks. Kanani, Robyn Goldberg, Jason, Lu, Scott, Susan.

Networking can feel like a daunting task, especially for us introverts (yes, I’m an introvert #iykyk). Walking into a crowded conference room can sometimes feel more overwhelming than energizing, right? Over the years, I've developed a simple yet powerful framework that helps me navigate these situations with intention and actually get the results I'm looking for. I call it the 3-2-1 Networking Framework. Here's how it works: 🎯 3 Strong Contacts: Instead of aiming to collect a stack of business cards you'll never follow up with, go into your event with the goal of making 3 meaningful connections that can genuinely help you achieve a specific goal. This focus allows you to be more present in conversations and truly remember who you've met. Quality over quantity, always! 🗣️ 2 Small Details: Beyond the business talk, make a conscious effort to remember at least 2 seemingly small, personal details about the people you connect with. Did they mention their child's name? Are they excited about an upcoming vacation? Did you both realize you're part of the same sorority? These personal touches create a stronger, more memorable connection. 💡 Pro-tip: Start with the name! This past week at IIEX, I had a few instances where people mistook me for another researcher. While she's fantastic, it highlighted the importance of truly seeing individuals past basic shared demographics. 📣 Another pro-tip (especially when connecting with Black women): Please remember something other than our hair. Our styles are diverse and can change frequently - at least mine does 🤣. Focusing solely on a hairstyle can lead to missed connections – let's move beyond superficial identifiers and get to the heart of the people. 🚀 1 Must-Do Goal: Walk into your networking event with at least 1 clear, actionable goal. Is it to identify potential business partners, find a new vendor, learn about a specific industry trend, or even land one new client? Having this singular focus will direct your conversations and make your time much more effective. You don't need a laundry list of objectives; sometimes, all it takes is one spark to ignite something bigger and better. This 3-2-1 framework has been a game-changer for me, allowing me to turn up the energy when needed, stay focused, and build authentic connections that truly matter. Give it a try at your next event and let me know how it works for you! #networking #introvert #connections #businesstips #IIEX

It's networking week and I haven't talked about networking events yet! Heyo! Let's do this. Yes, I know networking events can be draining and a lot to deal with, but they can be manageable. Here’s the first trick: Realize 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗼. No one cares about you -- they’re all up in their heads about how they look and what they say. Now here's some tips: 1) 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 What organization is hosting the event? Who is the contact person? Sometimes the event will publish a list of confirmed attendees - look them up in advance. If there is a speaker, contact them too and say you’re looking forward to the event. And look at that! You have made connections before you even walked in the door. 2) 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 My favorite opening question is, “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺?” Everyone has a reason for attending the event, and this will help you find something in common with the other person. They will likely ask you the same question, so practice your answer ahead of time. 3) 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 “𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵” Speaking of introductions, practice how you will introduce yourself to a new person. Consider your goals - what do you want people to remember about you? For example, if you’re looking for a new job, your pitch will include the types of jobs/industries that interest you. 4) 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱 I wrote about this yesterday. You can attach digital business cards to your email signature block, text the cards to a contact, and generate a QR code. LinkedIn is a great option too - 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗤𝗥 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲. Here's how: 𝗵𝘁𝘁𝗽𝘀://𝗹𝗻𝗸𝗱.𝗶𝗻/𝗲𝗞𝗫𝟮𝗘𝟵𝗝𝗖. 5) 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 Don’t dress in boring black like everyone else. Wear something noteworthy so you stand out from the crowd and people will remember you. You could choose a colorful jacket, tie, scarf, jewelry, brooch, or glasses. Later, when you’re following up with people, you can say, “I was wearing the red jacket." 6) 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 Find the person who organized the event and thank them before you leave. If they seem too busy or overwhelmed, send a message after the event is over. First of all, this is a nice thing to do because they put a lot of effort into organizing the event. Secondly, no one does this and it helps you stand out. Finally, the event organizer knows most of the people who attended and can be a great addition to your network. I'm rooting for you. 👊 ♻ Please repost if you think this advice will help others. ***** Hi, have we met? I'm Emily and I'm on a mission to get the #greenbannergang back to work, one actionable step at a time. #jobsearch #jobhunt #jobseekers

Sometimes I really hate networking. The generic questions like “How’s work?” or “Nice weather we’re having.” The awkward silence feeling when neither person knows what to say. The fake-promise break off “Yes, let’s keep in touch.” or “I’ll definitely circle back.” I’m someone who loves quiet and enjoys deeper conversations. So, large events, like conferences, often feels like a chore. But I know networking is really important. And I do genuinely want to connect with people. So, over the years, I’ve learn how to network in a way that feels more me. Here are 6 strategies that have helped. I hope they help you too! 1/ Pre-connect online ➙ If the event has a guest list, I always reach out ahead of time. ➙ "Hey, I saw we’re both attending [event]. Would love to say a quick hello while there!" ➙ This erases the initial awkwardness and gives me an anchor.   2/ Set a micro-goal ➙ Instead of feeling the need to “network with everyone,” I set a goal. ➙ “I’ll have [x] real conversations and then I can leave.” ➙ This gives me purpose and permission.   3/ Use the buddy system ➙ If it’s possible, I bring a colleague or friend. ➙ If not, I’ll hook up early with someone I know. ➙ We tag-team conversations and give each other talk breaks.   4/ Have go-to questions ready ➙ When my energy is low, thinking on the fly is hard. ➙ I keep a couple of easy, genuine openers in my pocket: ➙ “What session are you most excited to attend?” or “What’s something interesting you’ve been working on lately?” 5. Reframe networking as a favor to future-me ➙ Just because I don’t love it in the moment, doesn’t mean I’m not grateful I went. ➙ When I've used all of my words, I exit gracefully (and guilt-free). 6/ Always follow up ➙ It’s impossible to connect with everyone, so this step is crucial. ➙ Reaching out post-event invites continued dialog and deepens connections that matter. Some people were born to network. Others, like me, were not. But showing up with a game plan really helps build meaningful connections that last. What is your networking survival tip? ___ ♻️ Share to support all forms of networking! 🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta for coaching tips that stick.