Conversation starters for the nervous networker

I recently found myself reflecting on the time I started my first business. I remembered how far outside my comfort zone I was when attending networking events. So I thought I'd share some of my experiences and how I now get the best out of connecting with other businesses.

Networking is often an undervalued tool for small business owners, which always amazes me, when it provides key opportunities to meet other local businesses, companies in a similar industry and potential clients. Unfortunately, networking does not come naturally to everyone. A lot of people find it very difficult to introduce themselves to new people in a networking situation; unable to think of what to say. You may feel uncomfortable at events, putting you off attending in the future. Nonetheless, running your own business is about overcoming fears, taking risks and moving outside of your comfort zone.

Next time you feel like this at a networking event, just remember that the majority of people in the room probably feel or felt the same way at some point. If you see someone standing by themselves or people talking with their colleagues or friends, they're probably just as nervous as you and are also wondering how they can initiate a conversation. Take the leap and start talking to someone new. When you're networking, asking questions is a great way of finding out what others do and how you might help them. If you're stuck for ideas on how to begin a conversation, here are a few suggestions:

1. How did you get started in your business?
2. What do you enjoy most about your profession?
3. What separates you and your company from your competition?
4. What advice would you give to someone just starting out in your industry?
5. What one thing would you do with your business if you knew you could not fail?
6. What significant changes have you seen take place in your profession over the years?
7. What do you see as the coming trends in your industry?
8. What’s the strangest/funniest incident you’ve experienced in your business?
9. What ways have you found to be most effective in promoting your business?
10. What one sentence would you like people to use in describing the way you run your business?

The next time you’re at a networking event, try using some of these questions to start a conversation with someone new, or to find out more about someone you already know. Once you've made the first step and you've an idea of what to talk about, you'll find that the conversation flows and you'll forget that you were ever nervous, especially when you walk away with valuable new business contacts.

Finally, remember the two golden rules:

1. Don’t sell
2. Do follow up

If you would like to talk further about enhancing your networking skills, book a call with me here: https://calendly.com/markjarvis