Networking at a new event can be difficult to do on your own.
Try contacting a member you know in advance and asking them to walk you around the room and introduce you. If you don’t know any members, call the president of the organization and let her know that you’d like to attend as someone’s guest. Call that person in advance to get
to know them, then ask her to introduce you to the members at the event. Is there someone who will be attending that you have been trying to meet? Ask specifically to be introduced to that person.
Often having someone else introduce you reduces your anxiety.
It helps if the person introducing you knows a little something about you so they can better direct your introductions during the event. You should also be ready and willing to return the favor to your host at an event that you are familiar with that she may be interested in attending.
The law of reciprocity reigns in the networking field and can carry great influence when people think of you.
Shy? For more tips on how to overcome the anxiety and introduce yourself, check out this ‘oldie but goody’ article by Meredith Levinson on CIO.com: http://www.cio.com/article/164300/How_to_Network_12_Tips_for_Shy_People
What do you do when attending a networking event for the first time?
I would love to hear your stories about networking so, leave a comment and share your tips here!
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