A Guide to Corporate Events as an Introvert

I'm an introvert who does public speaking and hosts networking events. Sounds like an oxymoron, right? 

I think there's a really dangerous assumption that the people who go to networking events are all extroverts. While this is often true, events provide an unprecedented value of meeting many potential business opportunities in a short amount of time. And no matter how introverted or extroverted you are, I’ve compiled some tips from my own experience and from the Linkedin community on how to get the most out of networking events: 

1. Volunteer 

I started to find attending events much more successful when I approached them with a more humble mindset. Instead of trying to come across as the most important person in the room, I tried to see what actions and decisions would get my name in front of as many people as possible. I started to volunteer at events in any way that I could get my hands on. Even to this day, I will ofter to help with check-in if I want to make sure I am meeting as many people as possible at an event. It gives me a chance to introduce myself in front of every single attendee. I especially recommend it if you are just starting to take networking events seriously or have moved into a new industry or location. 

2. Plan Time to Decompress

I used to beat myself up all the time for not talking more at events. The stress of events eased when I started setting reasonable expectations for myself. This is especially true at conferences. There is no shame in sitting out on a talk that you weren’t too excited for so you can catch up on emails, take a walk, and recharge from the high energy of the event. If you set the expectation before the conference, you will be more intentional about your conversations and are less likely to experience "FOMO".

3. Practice Answering & Reciprocating Common Questions 

We should all have incredible answers to “what do you do?” and “where do you work?”, but what are you really looking for from the other person? What follow up questions would you find really valuable to ask? Having a set list in mind at the beginning of the day can help you feel more productive in your conversations whether they be 5 minutes in passing or hour long lunches. 

4. Set Quantifiable Goals 

Nothing is more frustrating than leaving an event and questioning if you just waisted your time. Putting a small, quantifiable goal like a certain number of leads, or even as simple as a certain number of business cards, can help you gauge the value of your time. Focus on the conversion at hand and don’t feel pressured to compete on things like “likability”. 

For some people, these tips may seem too granular. But if I have learned one thing from hosting events, it’s that everyone processes the experience differently. When I was first starting to go to networking events, I thought that everyone there was an extrovert and that I had to be something I wasn’t in order to be successful. Over time, I realized that I get the same amount of satisfaction out of them as the most talkative person in the room as long as I'm intentional about my approach. 

Let me know if you have used any of these tips and if there are ones that should be added to this list!