Recharge, Don't Drain: Networking for Introverts
As a business owner, attending or joining a networking group can be a very lucrative way to find more clients and business. However, if you are someone who feels more introverted and the thought of meeting new people and attending meetings sounds worse than getting a root canal, this article is for you! Full disclosure, I'm an ambivert which fall in the middle of the spectrum. I do have a lot of friends and colleagues who identify as introverted so I feel like I have a better sense of what it's like in an introvert's world and wanted to share some insights below.
Want to know if you are more or less introverted? Here's a quick, easy quiz that won't request your data!
Quality, not quantity
When it comes to marketing, our first impulse can be to meet more people and build a bigger list/followers, etc. Actually, if you are an introvert, the opposite is true. It's a better investment of time and energy to deepen the relationships you already have. How do you do that? Start with a list of past clients, colleagues, and other business people you have connected with either in an Excel doc or CRM (I'm a fan of LessAnnoying CRM) or even your connections on LinkedIn can be a good place to start.
A huge win for introverts when you do this, it allows you:
to be more protective of your energy
choosing who you spend time with and when
how that leads to additional introductions.
Sadly, the most important relationships can be the ones right in front of us that we don't even realize! Instead of working so hard to meet new people every month, spend time building deeper relationships with a smaller number of people. That's where it's vital to have that CRM or list handy so you can track who you are talking to and stay top of mind.
How much energy can you give?
Watching your energy and knowing how much you can give is critical and can take some practice. Instead of attending 5 networking groups this month, instead, it will be better to narrow it down to 1-2 groups and being very thoughtful about it.
Can you look ahead and see who has signed up to come and do a little research on them (using LinkedIn) is key here. Sometimes you can see who is signed up to attend or if people you DO know are attending.
Are you you setting a goal to meet 1-2 people and then follow up afterward (connecting to them via social media and sending them a nice note?)
Also note that you are more likely to meet potential referral partners at a networking event than a client, but you never know.
Consider if the networking event is in-person or virtual can make a huge difference. Since the pandemic in 2020, there's been a number of online networking that's popped up nationally and internationally. I've met some amazing people virtually and I find virtual networking to be excellent. I can take a lot of notes, look up folks on LinkedIn and connect to see what services they offer. If it's syncs and matches what I'm am seeking, I can invite them to a one on one conversation.
Here's an example of finding potential referral partners: let's pretend you are a professional organizer. Some of your best allies are adjacent businesses like realtors, lawyers, mediators, life coaches, interior designers, and many others. A good definition of a good referral partner is another business that shares the same clients as you, but they offer different services.
Not all networking groups are the same!
The format of a networking group is really important, let me share an example. I used to attend a networking group that was held during lunch, food included. Part of the program was to sit down at a table with others while you ate your lunch. We had "table topics" on note cards in the middle of the table and were given time to ask the questions on the note cards and engage with our table mates.
Even as an ambivert, I really appreciate this as a way to start a more natural, not forced conversation. It also took pressure off trying to find people to talk to. What usually happened is I find a table with someone I knew as well as some new people and we would have a great discussion. We would ask for each other's business cards and connect later on in-person or Zoom.
Recently, I attended a different networking group which was unstructured and it was very difficult to speak to people. You would show up before the program and try and mingle with people. The people there were in very tight knit groups and was almost impossible to walk up to a 2-3 person conversation and introduce yourself. I found it very frustrating and wanted to get out of there ASAP because it wasn't welcoming or structured. Moral of the story - try to learn ahead of time if the networking group will organize and help create conversations through structure. I find it helps a lot for all types, extroverts, introverts, and ambiverts!
If you do join a networking group as an introvert, one of the best ways to take on a role that will naturally help you meet more people such as a greeter who helps folks find their name badges and checks in. It gives you something to do with a purpose at each meeting. When you meet and work with people, it doesn't feel forced and conversation is easier. I would recommend this as long as the role you take on doesn't drain you or zap your energy. For example, see if you can offer to help on a one time basis to try it out and see if it's something you can commit to over the course of months to a year. Don't be afraid to try out different volunteer roles as well until you find the right fit.
I hope this tips are super helpful and give you permission to protect your time and be more thoughtful about the type of networking you, especially if you are an introvert. Feel free to contact me if you'd like more support, I've helped many of my clients who identify as introverted, empathy driven or highly sensitive find the right balance with their marketing and networking.
For more resources and what helped inspire this blog post:
https://www.lowenergyleads.com/networking-for-introverts-conversations/
https://www.lowenergyleads.com/networking-for-introverts-places/
https://www.lowenergyleads.com/networking-for-introverts-systems/