Networking 101: Do’s and Don’ts for Building Rapport (and Business) at Networking Events

Love it or hate it, networking is one of the fastest and most effective ways to grow a business.?

That means if you aren’t naturally the life of the party, you might feel like you’re at a disadvantage when it comes to networking events.?

True story: When I first started my business, I walked into networking events, felt intimidated, and turned around to walk right back out! It can be so intimidating!

You don’t have to be an extrovert to win at networking.?

You just have to show up, be sincerely interested in other people, and be open to building meaningful relationships. (The only kind of relationship that’s worth having, if you ask me.)

But it doesn’t hurt to be prepared with a few best practices before your next networking event.

Below are the tried-and-true networking tips I’ve used to grow my businesses (including one that I grew from 0 to $1 million in revenue).

Networking for Business

Do This

Ask open-ended questions.?

Steer clear from superficial small talk. “Nice weather, isn’t it?” Is not going to help you build relationships. On the other hand, “Tell me about an exciting project you’re working on” or “what’s something interesting that happened to you this week?” might.

Look for commonalities.?

We have more in common than we think, even with people we don’t know well yet. Pointing out the things you have in common can give you instant rapport with someone. You were both invited by the host--talk about how great she is! You’re drinking the same drink. Great minds think alike! Make a game of how many similarities you can find and point them out.

Be memorable.

Even if you make sure to only ask open-ended questions, other people will ask you boring yes/no things. This is an opportunity to be memorable by answering in an unexpected way. I like to answer “How are you?” with “I’m an 8.5 out of 10,” for example. It’s just different enough to make people take a pause and ask me more about it.

Be mindful of your body language.

When we’re excited to see someone our eyebrows lift just a little bit. Smiling universally makes us more likable. And keping your shoulders back and away from your ears signals confidence. These subtle signals will draw others to you, which can make networking much easier and more effective.

Don’t Do This

Ask expected or yes/no questions.

“How are you?” “Fine.” “Did you get here early?” “Yes.” There is no faster way to kill a conversation before it even starts. So, don’t do it. Come up with something more exciting and unexpected.?

Stand at the entrance.

Feel those butterflies in your belly when you first walk into a room full of strangers? You aren’t the only one who feels like that. Most people feel nervous when they first get to an event. That means standing at the entrance isn’t the most strategic spot for networking. If you give people a few minutes to settle in and calm their nerves, they’ll be more receptive to you.

Immediately pitch your services (AKA pitch slap).

Yes, you are networking to help your business. But that doesn’t mean you can only talk about your business (or worse, put someone on the spot and pitch your services then and there). Direct sales are not the point of networking. And coming on too strong is a surefire way to send people running in the opposite direction the next time you run into them at an event. Focus on getting to know people. Then, if they need your help later, they’ll remember you!

How do you feel about networking? Comment below and tell us.