If you are a person who would read a 300-page book rather than attending marathons, meetups, hackathons then this post is for you.
for an introverted person like me, networking and talking to strange people always felt like a big challenge, it scared the living hell out of me.
I told myself nobody gives a f*** to who you are, what idea you have, what point you could make that would then somehow add value to them,
people are too busy with their stuff blah blah blah ...
This was my mental model and my belief, but then I heard real stories, learned a bit or two about conversational starters and bam! , there I am making new friends, networking like a ninja.
but you see nothing worth having comes easy, the only way I opened my mind towards networking was when my friends told me how I was having an idea but I failed miserably at marketing it, making connections, making networks.
Enough with my startup rant! , in this journey of becoming a networking ninja I learned a lot and I am channeling them down in this post for my lovely introverted comrades.
Look for conversational starters, I cannot stress enough how well you can connect with people with silly things like a ring or a carbon fiber tie.
Whatzit elements as the author Leil Lowndes calls it.
**Do your homework : **
Understand your target audience and you are halfway there.
People make terrible conversations, they ask people for a drink while the other person is seriously engaged in other things.
Understanding you age group is as equally important newer generations tend to have divergent views and they are backed by science so better start with something techy and gradually moves towards your topic or pitch.Be more humble and generous with them.
Always think of adding value first and then yell out your needs and wants.
**
Be unique, Be you :**
If your plan is to stick 50 visiting or business cards on their faces, why not then dare to be different. making a flashy card will do you more good than harm, swag my dear friends helps sometimes.
Use the age-old winger system: going to a networking event alone is boring, Get along with you a winger, someone who is great at making conversations, someone who has a lot more connections than you, leverage his networking potential and pre-existing links to your advantage.
While networkers are always received as greedy hunters, who are just hunting at you in big events and we may go on to think that they will be least bothered if you are not a venture capitalist or a filthy investor don't let this thinking bend you from being one, after all, we all are social beings , living socially and talking to strangers will be well received as long as you are adding value and helping them