The art of the networking introduction

I have been to a lot of networking events and aside from the awkward small talk, the thing I hate the most is sitting through a dull introduction. So many people will stand up and say their name, their job title, and then rattle off a list of tasks they do in a monotonous tone. It is so boring, and if someone sounds bored of their own job, why would anyone be interested in working with them. Networking events are about people connecting, finding things they have in common, and looking for ways to collaborate. It should be exciting, but so often it is just tedious.  

What’s your name and where do you come from?

A networking event is a room full of people trying to work out who might be a good person to talk to. To do that, you need to know who you might want to connect with and why. At most events you have less than 1 minute to say something interesting about yourself to convince other people that you are worth having a longer chat with, so the first thing you say needs to be impactful. 

The introductions that I remember are the ones who do something a bit different. Take the hotel procurement business owner I met through an online networking group. They would say their name then tell us “If you took a hotel and tipped it upside down, everything that falls out is what we source.”  It was such a brilliant and engaging introduction. Everyone in the room knew what they did in less than 10 seconds. I’ve never worked in any capacity with this person since, but their introduction stood out because it was so unusual.

Passionate people also stand out for me. There is a divorce solicitor in my current networking group who believes mediation is the best way for married couples to separate. I am not married, so again her services are irrelevant to me, but I know that if you are going through a divorce mediation is cheaper, much more emotionally supportive for all involved, and some courts are now even mandating it. I have retained all this information because the person delivering it is truly passionate about what she does which makes her interesting to listen to.

The final approach that stands out to me, and one that I use, is when people say something useful. It might be the wellbeing practitioner who does a short breath-work exercise to help the room to focus, or the accountant who shares a tip about doing your tax return that saves you money. I will often pose a question that I use with my coaching clients to help people to think about their development. This approach works because you are engaging a room full of people who may well have switched off listening to 10 boring introductions before you.

Tell me what you want

Once you have got the attention of the room and people know what you do, the next thing to tell them is what you are looking for. It sounds obvious, but so many people I meet at networking events don’t say who they want to connect with. People go to networking events for lots of different reasons, and just because you work in a certain job, doesn’t mean it is clear to people who you might want to connect with.

If you are looking for business, then you need to tell people who your customer is and invite them to come and talk to you. You could be looking for people who are in a similar industry as you to discuss a latest trend or change in legislation, you need to let people know that is what you are looking for. If you are embarking on a new project, you might be looking for recommendations for suppliers or advice on what to do, so you need to tell people.

Telling people what you are looking for makes it easier for people who might be a good connection for you to seek you out.

I have two main asks that I use…

“If you or anyone you know is unhappy at work, feeling stuck, and would like some help to change your career, then I’d love to chat.”

and

“I’m looking to connect with HR and L&OD professionals who want to support their staff with their career development.”

If there are people in the room who meet these criteria, they often come up to me, but what also happens is that I get introduced to people who are not in the room. Someone who I have met can’t help, but they know someone who does. The clearer you are about what you are looking for and who you want to connect with, the easier it will be for people to find you. Most people at networking events find them awkward, so if people have a clear reason to talk to you, it makes it so much easier for them to come and say hello. 

Making an impactful introduction at a networking event will help you to stand out. Given that most people do it badly, you don’t have to come up with a big crazy idea to be remembered.  Thinking about what you can say that is either unusual or helpful, and delivering it in a passionate way can help you grab people’s attention. And don’t forget to say who you want to connect with, you never know who in the room might be a good connection, and you have a greater chance of finding them if you are vocal about what you want.