If you have ever attended a networking function, felt great afterward, and then come to realize a week later that nothing productive was generated, you are officially a member of the club. You encountered numerous people, spoke for the whole night, shared your fun times, exchanged LinkedIn’s and perhaps even traded business cards but got no leads, no deals, and no real progress at all.
The fact of the matter is that many jobs are due to socializing through contacts but most extroverts misunderstand being social as knowing how to network in a way that brings forth results. On the brighter side, extroverts have the hard part already sorted out. You only need to fine-tune the technique.
If you have a problem of how to network as an extrovert without loss of time, this is the change.
Stop Trying to Meet Everyone
The first aim of almost all extroverts coming to a party is engagement with as many people as possible. This might seem like a productive strategy, but in most cases, it is not.
The “pick of the cake” does not usually come with the most discussions but rather through the most suitable ones. Therefore, slow down. Select a few individuals with whose opinions you really resonate. Instead of going broad, go deep. Five amazing conversations will always beat twenty forgettable ones.
Where real networking begins is here.
You Do Not Always Have to Be the Talker
The talent of a good speaker is a blessing till it is not.
If you are the one talking all the time, you are completely missing out on the opportunity of knowing the truth. What people want and where they are having difficulty are the things that you should know in reality and that is where your entry into their world is. The quickest route to being noticed in any gathering is.
Ask better questions.
Be quiet sooner.
Listen longer.
People forget your presentation. They remember the impact you created on them.
Walk In With a Point, Not Just Vibes
Energy is easy to generate. However, having a clear direction is what makes you different from others.
Always have a point before you go anywhere, especially networking.