Sometimes you just have to put yourself out there! It’s that simple. We can’t walk around in a cocoon. We have to make ourselves available to our colleagues, customers, family, friends, and even strangers. You never know when you are going to meet someone – and when that someone is particularly important for you to meet. Sometimes you meet these people unintentionally and sometimes it’s on purpose.
I go to networking events all the time, and it can be tough when you don’t know a single soul in a room of forty or fifty people. It makes you feel overwhelmed. While I am not an expert, I’ve been to quite a few of these events, and to truly reap the rewards, you have to put yourself out there. I’ve come up with a few tips that help me and make me feel more comfortable. Let’s face it… the more relaxed, comfortable, and open you are, the more likely it is you will succeed. Here are three tips to take with you this Friday afternoon; these have helped me in the past.
Find Someone Who Looks Like Your Mom
Seriously, I know it sounds silly, but try to find a person who looks like or gives off a maternal, friendly vibe to you. It is always easier to walk up to a person that I get the “mom” vibe from. It helps me start the conversation loosened up. If you can’t find someone who looks like your mom, think about your dad, sister, or other family members you are close to. Finding someone, even if only by material looks, reminds you of someone you feel comfortable with and it will help you talk to them with more ease.
Prepare Ahead of Time
Most networking events are pretty similar in nature. People get together, all have time to mingle and be social, then at some point, you are going to talk about your business. Prepare your elevator speech (60 seconds max) about who you are and what you do. If you do this, when people ask, you will know exactly what to say and wouldn’t be stumbling over your words. The more prepared you are, the better you look. People want to know you can talk about your business on the spot, so you better be able to.
Be Positive
It doesn’t take much to put a smile on my face, and it shouldn’t for you either. Go into these events with a positive attitude, and you’ll transform your own experience. Putting a smile on your face makes you more approachable to others. Plus, people only have a short time to get to know you, and you want them to leave having gotten a glimpse of your delightful personality.
Try these out and see if they make a difference for you.
