5 Networking Hacks So You Can Stop Feeling Awkward at Events

You can try these hacks at GROW 2019 in Singapore, where you'll meet some of the smartest marketers and salespeople in Asia.

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Conferences and events can be really cruel for introverts.

That’s because most events go something like this:

Conference:

“Welcome to our event! Here’s your ticket. Now go into this giant room with 1,000 strangers. Okay, have fun.”

You:

*heartbeat racing, anxiety, stress*

So, this naturally ends up happening:

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Networking and meeting new people at conferences can be a LOT less stressful— and maybe even fun — if you just follow these 5 tips.

Hack #1: Warm Up With This One Question

Would you run a marathon without first loosening up your muscles? 

Of course not. 

It’s the same thing with networking.

Very few people are charismatic the first thing in the morning.

For most people, it takes a while to warm up and get in the groove. 

There are several times at the start of an event that are perfect for warming up:

• Waiting in line for your event pass
• Waiting before a session starts
• Waiting in line for coffee

Do you see a pattern there?

When waiting for things to happen, most people are looking to kill time.

So the next time you’re next to someone who’s waiting for something, just like you, tap them on the shoulder and say this exact line:

“Hey, so what brings you to this event?”

It's the perfect warm-up question to get you in the mindset of talking to new people throughout the day.

Hack #2: Follow the 3-second rule

Do you see your favorite speaker standing alone?

Do you see someone you recognize from the internet?

Or maybe you spotted interesting conversations like this:

When this happens, follow the 3-second rule:

Start a 3 second timer in your head, then start walking towards that person to say hello.

Don’t overthink it.

Just do it. 

It helps you avoid this painful scenario we've all been through:

Should I approach that person? No, they’ll think I’m weird. But I really should meet them. Hmm. Oh wait, now someone else is talking to them. Crap. 

The 3-second rule is your hack for overcoming that anxiety and stress. 

Yes, sometimes, conversations will go awkwardly, and not every interaction will go well. That’s okay.

Thankfully, you have the next tip in your back pocket:

Hack #3: Use These Lines to End Conversations Gracefully

All conversations run out of steam eventually.

It’s okay. Don’t try to revive them. And especially don’t look around behind the person, looking for other people to talk to.

Just end the conversation gracefully and move on.

Here’s how you do that:

“Hey, it was great meeting you. Let’s stay in touch on LinkedIn.” 

That’s it!

If you want to take it to the next level, you can use that person to introduce you to more people:

“So, do you know anyone else here?”

“Hey, what do you say we go meet other people together?”

Hack #4: Take Breaks!

Everyone gets tired at events.

This is especially true for introverts.

Here’s the good news: there is no rule that says you have to be a non-stop networking machine at events... yet people feel this pressure to be constantly shaking hands with people and talking all the time. It causes unnecessary stress.

Look, it’s totally okay that you go to the bathroom, even if you don’t really need to go. 

You're not a weird person if you have this thought:

Even the most extroverted among us need to recharge and reset every now and then.

You can use that time to drink some water on the way, freshen up, and check yourself in the mirror.

And it’s totally okay to go into an empty breakout session room and just sit down there, doing nothing, even take a micro-nap.

Give yourself permission to take breaks, take time to recharge, so when you are ready to meet new people, you are fresh and you can give the conversation the attention it deserves.

Hack #5: Target Who You Want To Meet Before The Event

My favorite tip of all for introverts, who have limited socializing energy:

Get the most bang for your networking buck by pre-planning who you want to meet!

• Post on LinkedIn to see if any connections are attending
• Look through social media hashtags to see who is coming
• Look through the sponsor list
• Look through the speaker list

This way, instead of walking into a room of 1,000 strangers ... you have an idea of the 10-15 people you want to meet. A much less intimidating number!

What Else Would You Add To This List?

What tips did I miss?

What are your tricks for networking at events?

If you know anyone who needs this, tag them in the comments.

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Use your new networking skills at GROW 2019 in Singapore, where you can meet industry experts along with your fellow marketers and salespeople.