Networking events can be a great way to meet new people, build relationships, and make connections that could lead to career or business opportunities. However, attending networking events also requires an investment of time and money. So are networking events really worth it?
What are the benefits of attending networking events?
Here are some of the key potential benefits of attending networking events:
- Meet new people in your industry or local community
- Strengthen existing relationships by connecting in-person
- Gain visibility and raise your profile
- Learn about trends, innovations, or opportunities in your field
- Find potential clients, partners, investors, or mentors
- Practice and improve networking skills
- Expand your circle of connections
- Gather market intel and insights
- Increase exposure for your business or brand
- Build your reputation as an expert in your field
The opportunity to build new relationships and nurture existing ones is one of the main values of attending networking events. Having a strong network can open doors, provide referrals, generate leads, and offer support during career transitions. Many people have landed jobs, found clients, or gained access to resources by connecting with the right people at events.
What are some potential drawbacks?
While there are many benefits, networking events also come with some potential downsides to consider:
- It takes time to find and attend events
- Registration, meals, and transportation costs can add up
- Events may feel crowded, loud, or overwhelming
- You might not connect with the right people
- Following up with contacts takes additional time
- Not all conversations turn into valuable connections
- You could miss time at work or other responsibilities
- Introverts may feel drained by constant social interaction
Attending lots of events can get expensive, especially if there are fees involved. There’s also no guarantee that making small talk with strangers will lead to meaningful business relationships or results. Plus, connecting authentically requires following up and nurturing relationships over time.
Tips for making the most of networking events
Here are some tips to help maximize the value of the networking events you attend:
- Set clear goals. Decide who you want to meet or what you want to achieve. This could be meeting a certain number of new people, following up with previous contacts, or connecting with specific types of professionals or companies.
- Do your research. Review the attendee list and look up profiles of those you want to connect with. Follow them on social media and prepare some talking points.
- Have a strategy. Don’t just work the room randomly. Identify your priority contacts and approach them early before they get caught up in other conversations.
- Craft an elevator pitch. Prepare a 30-60 second introduction about yourself and what you do. Keep it conversational, not too salesy.
- Bring business cards. Having your contact info handy makes follow-up easier. Include your phone, email, website, and social media.
- Have a few questions ready. Asking thoughtful questions keeps conversations going and shows you are interested in learning more about them.
- Listen actively. Focus on remembering key details and being fully present. Take mental notes to reference in your follow-up.
- Collect contact information. Ask new connections to connect on LinkedIn or exchange emails. Don’t just take their card and move on.
- Review conversations after. Jot down notes on who you met and any shared interests or opportunities discussed.
- Follow up quickly. Send a personalized email or LinkedIn invite while your conversation is still fresh.
With the right strategy, you can maximize your time investment in networking. But don’t force conversations or hand out business cards like candy just to boost your numbers. Quality connections matter much more than quantity.
Should introverts avoid networking events?
Networking events can be challenging for introverts who get their energy from solitary activities instead of big crowds. But with the right approach, introverts can still benefit from select networking opportunities while preserving their energy.
Here are some tips for introverts to make networking events more manageable:
- Attend smaller or more niche events instead of giant conferences.
- Arrive early or late to avoid peak crowds.
- Sit in a quieter space like an outer lobby area.
- Plan outings before and after to recharge alone.
- Set a time limit for yourself to leave when you hit your limit.
- Have an “accomplice” to attend with who understands your needs.
- Schedule down time after to rest and recover.
- Focus more on quality conversations with a few like-minded people instead of collecting business cards.
- Interact in other ways like volunteering or joining planning committees.
With the right boundaries, introverts can still benefit from connections made at networking events without burning out. Focus on meeting a small number of the right people instead of maximizing total interactions.
How can I get the most value with a limited time commitment?
Here are some suggestions if you want to benefit from networking but have a limited time commitment:
- Attend a local chamber of commerce or professional association monthly meeting. These usually take just an hour or two over breakfast or lunch.
- RSVP for the second half of large evening networking events. Avoiding the first few hours helps beat the big crowds.
- Sign up to help out at association conferences or trade shows. You’ll interact with attendees while also providing a valuable service.
- Participate in speed networking or roundtable sessions. These force interactions to be condensed into just a few minutes per person.
- Host your own casual networking happy hour or coffee meetup. Keep it low-pressure and inviting.
- Get active on industry online forums or social media groups to connect without in-person events.
- Suggest grabbing coffee or a quick lunch meeting when reaching out to connections instead of a big dinner or drinks.
- Use small talk time at events to make arrangements for future conversations by phone or video chat.
The key is to be selective about which networking interactions will provide the most value for your limited time. Prioritize quality over quantity when choosing events to attend or people to connect with.
How can I recover quickly after an event?
Networking events can be draining, especially for introverts. Here are some tips for recovering your energy quickly after an event:
- Hydrate and eat a nourishing meal or snack to refuel.
- Listen to music or a podcast on your commute home to help unwind.
- Change into comfy clothes when you get home to relax and decompress.
- Avoid social media or answering emails right away to give your brain a break.
- Take 20-30 minutes to yourself to meditate, stretch, or just be alone in quiet.
- Note your reflections on the event while it’s fresh to capture takeaways.
- Take a relaxing bath or shower to wash the day away.
- Light candles or use essential oils to create a soothing atmosphere.
- Cuddle pets or loved ones to release oxytocin and relieve stress.
- Get a good night’s sleep so you can restart refreshed the next day.
Recharging your mental and physical energy after an intensive networking event is crucial. Introverts, especially, should prioritize self-care to avoid burnout.
How can I get over my fear of networking?
Many people feel nervous or intimidated at the thought of having to network and promote themselves. Here are some tips for overcoming a fear of networking:
- Start small. Attend informal local meetups before big conferences to get comfortable interacting.
- Have a goal besides networking. Focus on learning or supporting a cause you care about.
- Bring a friend. Having a familiar face nearby can make the event less daunting.
- Remember people want to meet you. Focus on being interested, not interesting. Most people like talking about themselves.
- Focus on learning. Ask questions to take the pressure off having to impress.
- Remember, everyone feels awkward. Even polished networkers feel shy or uncertain sometimes.
- Breathe and speak slowly. Deep breaths and a slow pace can ease anxious feelings and make a good impression.
- Visualize success. Picture yourself calmly meeting new people with confidence.
- Reflect on wins. Note what went well after an event to reinforce and build on the progress.
Approach networking as a learnable skill, not an innate personality trait. With practice over time, it will start to feel less intimidating. And remember, most people find it awkward at first!
What networking skills are most important?
Here are some of the most important networking skills to cultivate:
- Active listening. Focus fully on the other person without thinking ahead to what you’ll say next.
- Open-ended questioning. Ask follow-up questions that lead to deeper conversation.
- Recalling names and details. Use mnemonic devices or quickly note key personal info.
- Warm body language. Smile, make eye contact, and turn your body to face others.
- Gracious professionalism. Be polite, positive, and ethical in all your dealings.
- Strategic follow-up. Set reminders to continue nurturing key connections.
- Bounding common interests. Look for shared passions, values, or experiences.
- Smooth small talk. Keep conversations flowing smoothly, especially at the start.
- Gift of gab. Share ideas freely and articulately without dominating discussions.
- Subtle selling. Promote yourself or company naturally without sounding pushy.
Mastering both social skills and business communication is key to networking effectively. Emotional intelligence is just as important as professional expertise.
Should I treat networking like sales?
While networking and sales both aim to build relationships, it’s usually not a good idea to treat networking overtly as a sales opportunity. Here’s why:
- Hard selling tactics can damage your reputation and come across as inauthentic.
- Forcing sales conversations will make people avoid you at future events.
- Genuinely learning about others’ needs and building trust should come first.
- Effective networking focuses on giving value before trying to get sales.
- Most people resent feeling “sold” versus having natural conversations.
- Developing relationships often takes many interactions over time.
- You may discover they aren’t an ideal customer after networking more.
That said, networking and sales aren’t completely separate. Networking lays the groundwork for future sales. But emphasize relationship-building over transactions for the best results.
How do I follow up effectively after networking?
Here are some tips for following up effectively with new connections after networking events:
- Connect on LinkedIn with a personalized invitation note.
- Send a follow-up email within 24 hours while the conversation is fresh.
- Mention a specific topic you discussed and any shared interests.
- Include a related article or other valuable piece of information.
- Suggest meeting for coffee or a phone call to continue the dialogue.
- Use a CRM system or spreadsheet to track your outreach and responses.
- Add birthday or other personal event reminders for your connections.
- Follow up periodically with relevant updates or just a quick check-in.
- Invite new connections to join you at other events, groups, or activities.
- Thank people for referrals or opportunities that arise.
Following up promptly, consistently, and with personal touches is key for converting connections into lasting relationships.
Conclusion
At their best, networking events provide valuable human connections that support careers and businesses. But simply attending events isn’t enough to guarantee results. You have to be strategic about which events you choose, use techniques that make conversations flow, follow up persistently after meeting someone, and nurture relationships over time.
Maximize your investment by identifying clear goals, vetting events, researching attendees beforehand, crafting conversational skills, using CRMs to track contacts, and setting reminders. Personality type also plays a role. Introverts should adapt techniques that conserve their energy when networking. Finally, focus on giving value before trying to sell. Building authentic relationships takes patience.
Networking does require an investment of time, money, and energy. But when pursued strategically, networking activities can yield meaningful new relationships, grow your circle of influence, increase business opportunities, and support career advancement. Approached with the right mindset and techniques, most people can improve their networking skills over time. So give it a genuine effort, and you may find the connections you make transform your possibilities in work and life.