3 ways to get the most out of networking

Having a hard time motivating yourself to venture out into the business community?

Maintaining a vigorous network is essential for keeping you and your business top of mind. Here are three ways to get the most out of your time spent networking:

Change your way of thinking. It’s easy to tell yourself that networking isn’t important. Be mindful of negative thinking that tempts you to pass up a networking opportunity. Ditch those excuses!  And don’t forget to give yourself a pep talk on the way to the meeting. It really helps! Positive self-talk can help you prepare to get the most out of your next networking event.

Seek out the shy. Some people are more reticent than others to network. Those quieter personalities may be a bit more difficult to approach. But they often have a rich storehouse of connections and wisdom, making them highly valuable when it comes to shop talk.

Listen intently. Listening is a skill, and practice makes perfect. Did you know that those who do more listening than talking often come out ahead in the self-promotion game? Interestingly, shy people often pay more attention to details, which can boost the building of one-on-one relationships so crucial to expanding one’s personal network.

Networking can feel awkward at first, but keep an eye out for opportunities and be open to starting conversations with fellow professionals. Shared office spaces are great places to network and build a strong list of contacts, and can benefit your business in more ways than one. So get out there and break the ice!