The StartUp Blog at PartnerUp

I am an introvert…sort of. I’m not shy or afraid of people, and I always have opinions that I’m more than happy to voice. In fact, I love being in public and can work a room full of friends and acquaintances like no other. Yet I still attain many odd, introverted tendencies.

For one, I despise talking on the phone. It makes my palms sweat and my voice crack. But more than that, I loathe the uneasy feeling of being alone among a group of people I don’t know, which can make the all-important and necessary task of networking more excruciating than stabbing myself in the foot and running a marathon. So if you and I are in the same boat, then this guide is for you.

The first and maybe the most important thing that introverts need to understand is that networking is an essential business investment that can’t just be written off because it’s uncomfortable. Connections are what make the world go ‘round, and they’re also what will help you start, manage and grow your business. Well-networked people get things done, and they get them done quickly. They aren’t forced to waste endless amounts of time shooting out random emails to strangers or browsing the Internet for answers. By putting in the effort now, you’ll save yourself time, energy and certainly some headaches later on.

If you’re planning on attending a large networking event, then I have two suggestions. Go with a friend or acquaintance and go early. Having someone you know by your side makes breaking the ice exponentially easier. It’s also easier to feed off each other and spur livelier conversation. Don’t just bring anybody though. You’ll want to bring someone with interests and insights that align with the main functions of the event. So bringing your best friend the musician or your next-door neighbor the mechanic might not be such a good idea, unless of course they double as entrepreneurs.

Arriving early is also important because it psychologically prepares you for the event. If the room is nearly empty you’ll feel like you own the place and be much more comfortable as others start trickling in. On the other hand, barging in to a noisy room packed with strangers already engaging in conversations of their own and then trying to join those conversations is much more intimidating.

Breaking through the introduction barrier is half the battle. The other half is not letting your anxiety show throughout the course of the conversation. If you don’t want to appear flustered, then keep the speaking to a minimum. Extroverts LOVE to talk about themselves, while we introverts prefer to listen. So what do we do? We ask questions, and lots of them. Make sure they are relevant and at least somewhat open-ended. Asking random questions with one-word answers will not likely help in the development of a possible relationship.

One of the great things about networking in the technology era is that you can start to make great business contacts without ever leaving your home or office. There are many ways to network online, like joining social networking sites, commenting on blogs, participating in forums, etc. Going the way of mediated interaction allows you to spend more time working on your business and saves you the nervous butterflies of in-person, group networking.

Lastly, I’d like to reiterate the old mantra, “quality over quantity.” You’re much better off finding 10 or 15 people who know a bunch of other people than attempting to simultaneously foster 50 to 75 relationships of your own. But finding the right people to engage does take time. So start out by meeting many different people and then narrow the field from there. Eventually you’ll get to a place where you can focus on spending your time with the contacts that really matter; the contacts that will help drive your business forward.