From the neighborhood barbeque to the conference gala, walking into that big social event can be the most difficult part.
Who will you talk to?
What will you say?
Will there be anyone you know?
Here are my tips for waltzing into your next networking event with confidence:
Conversation Starters. Before you even step foot into your next social event, prepare 3-4 conversational topics to use throughout the event. These topics could be the win of your hometown hockey team, a recent vacation, or an exciting project you’re working on, etc. This small shift sets you up to be a clear and confident communicator.
Thank the Organizers. So many people often worry about finding the first group of people to talk to. After checking in or dropping your gift off, thank the organizers of the event for inviting you. If you do not know anyone else at the event, you can ask them to facilitate an introduction.
5 Second Rule. With a room full of people, your brain naturally tends to overthink who you should start your next conversation with. To avoid standing in the corner scouting your next conversation, utilize the 5 second rule. Once you make eye contact with someone, you have 5 seconds to approach them. This keeps your conversations flowing throughout the event and cuts out the time you spend overthinking it.
3 Next Steps. Have an established goal to reach by the end of an event. These “next steps” could be a coffee date, introduction you are facilitating, or resources you wish to forward them.
