Nervous about networking? Here are some tips to help you start the conversation and build meaningful relationships

Have you ever felt unsure about approaching someone at a networking event? Wondering what to ask or how to even say hello? I did too!

For this reason, I started attending multiple conferences and events to help me boost my confidence, to become more emotionally intelligent and to build meaningful relationships. In this article, I have compiled a set of tips to follow when you are experiencing panic or nervousness before networking:

1. Know what type of event/conference you are attending. This is key because you want to adjust to the environment that you’re in and for you to do that, you need to prepare your mind to what you are about to be exposed.
2. If it’s an event/conference that will consist of panel sessions, make sure to connect with the panelists beforehand (if the information is provided which it usually is). What do I mean by that? Send them a LinkedIn Personalized Invite letting them know about the event. Start building the relationship from there. Now, what if you don’t have this information? Come ready to actively listen to their introductions and their insights, so you can prepare meaningful questions, which is my next tip.
3. Actively listen and ask questions: Seems pretty common but you would be surprised the amount of people that doesn’t approach professionals at networking events because they don’t have questions. Make sure to be ready! 
4. Don’t be afraid of approaching a professional: Trust me, they are there for YOU. They are taking time of their day to share insights with YOU. So take this opportunity to introduce yourself and ask them about their position, industry and advice on how to succeed in that specific career. There are not such things as stupid questions so really, don’t be afraid to approach them. 
5. If you find yourselves in a situation where you are too afraid or shy to approach them, you have options: go when there’s a group of people so the total focus won’t be 100% on you OR ask someone you know to help you by approaching the professional together. As I follow the motto: “Lifting as we climb” let’s help each other out, you will find people who have strengths that you may be working on, and you may have strengths that they’re working on, so why not identifying those and collaborate with each other? Trust me, it will make a huge difference.
6. How to end the conversation? Feeling awkward about it? Don’t worry, simply ask them for their business cards/LinkedIn/Email. You want to end the conversation with an open statement: Asking them for contact information will show that you want to follow up, hence, keep the relationship going (this is crucial for long and meaningful relationships). 
7. Now that you have NETWORK, what’s next? Well, let’s ask ourselves: Have we ever stopped at the previous step and not contact the professional at all? It happens! So I challenge you to ask yourself: why do you ask for business cards if you’re not going to follow up? Even if it’s just a thank you, you need to mean it when you tell them you want their contact information. This is not just about numbers, but the RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. Take this into consideration when you go to your conference or networking event.

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