7 Tips for Effective Networking

It's estimated that over 8 million people in the UK experience social anxiety disorder at some point in their lives, suffering from tension, nervousness, and even embarrassment when speaking to others. However, one survey of UK professionals found that 78% believed in-person networking was crucial for their career advancement.

Networking is a great way to generate new leads, job opportunities, career advice, achieve a competitive advantage within your field, and access new resources.

While attending events and trade shows can be overwhelming for some, it doesn’t have to be.

Here are 7 tips to help make networking more straightforward, even if you are feeling a little anxious.

Take some time to research the event beforehand. Learn about the speakers and what the topics will be discussed. Especially take some time to learn about the attendees you know you want to connect with. Find their social media profiles, look at their posts, read up on the values of their company. You can even take it a step further by reaching out to them before the event on LinkedIn to let them know you want to connect. Not only will this help you plan topics to talk about and boost your confidence, it will also show someone that you have done your homework.

If conferences intimidate you, it can be tempting to stay within a known group of colleagues or connections. While sticking with the group could be more comfortable at networking events, consider walking around by yourself. Approaching new connections alone will help you appear more confident and make you more memorable. In groups, often people can blend together or fade in the background, whereas going solo will help you stand out. Sticking in your comfort zone can limit your opportunities at networking events.

Initiating conversations with new people can be daunting. Before the event, consider crafting a few introductory sentences. A strong opening line will project confidence and expertise, and leave a lasting impression. Consider using a question as your opening line to encourage an engaged conversation. Here are some examples:

• What did you think about the session earlier?

• Have you been to this conference before?

• What current challenges do you see in your industry?

An elevator pitch is a short description that describes everything a person would need to know about you and/or your company. It should be short enough to last the length of an elevator ride, or 30-60 seconds. You need a strong elevator pitch prepared to make the best use of the short time you have with new connections. Consider tweaking your pitch to the context of the conference you are attending. If your conference is about a specific industry, include how it applies to you in your pitch. Take time to practice so everything comes out smoothly.

As we mentioned earlier, it’s important to research who you want to connect with beforehand. However, it is equally important to remain open to unexpected networking opportunities. You never know what insights and connections someone might offer. So, try to stay off your phone during breaks and engage with those around you. Make it a challenge and try to meet as many new connections as possible. You never know what someone might bring to the table!

Avoid spending the whole conference talking with the same people. Even if the conversation is going amazing, aim to limit it to 15 minutes. By keeping conversations short, it ensures that you and your connection are using your time effectively. It’s important to remain polite but know how to end a conversation. Smile, look them in the eyes, tell them that you enjoyed talking to them, and suggest reconnecting in the future. End on a strong note with a firm handshake and kick off your next interaction.

As the conference comes to an end you might feel like your hard work is done, but don’t let it go to waste. Take some time to connect on LinkedIn with everyone you. Following up with these new connections is essential to foster your professional relationships. Try to do this close to the end of the event while your interactions are still fresh on your mind, and theirs. Don’t forget to send a personalised message with the connection request! Consider making a post on LinkedIn with a picture of you at the conference, along with a caption about how much you enjoyed being there.

Networking at trade shows and events can be intimidating, but when you prepare in advance, you can make the most of your time there. By practicing these tips, you can ensure that you will come across as confident, relaxed, and professional when networking.

Put these networking tips into practice and attend our Customer Connect Conference in the Dallas, Texas area from November 11-13, 2024. It’s our most anticipated event of the year where businesses come together to network, collaborate, and strengthen their everyday use of ECI software.