“If you don’t understand people, you don’t understand business” Simon Sinek.
Let me make a confession first.
As an introvert, leading up to the Websummit last year, I was feeling a little insecure.
Being my first time in the event and having recently moved to Portugal, I was taking a big risk of wasting the € 850 I paid for the ticket.
You know why?
Well, firstly there was not much leverage for me at the event, since I’m a newbie in the innovation ecosystem in Portugal.
Also, I’m not a Startup founder, I’m not looking for investors, and I’m definitely not a politician trying to be seen in a trendy event.
But instead of shying away from this opportunity, I decided to apply a few principles, which I live by and truly believe it’s the right thing to do, especially at networking events.
So, if you find yourself in a similar situation, these ideas might be helpful.
1. #Givefirst mentality.
Stop with the “me, me, me… mentality”. It’s not about you, it’s about the people you’re going to connect with. At the end of the day, people won’t pay attention to you unless you pay attention to them first.
The whole idea of “be interested makes you an interesting person” although it has become a clichê, it’s also true.
It is soooo true.
Being hasty and trying to hard sell at every single interaction will only make you look like a fool. An amateur that doesn’t understand how to connect and nurture a long term relationship.
In an event like the Web Summit, knowing how to listen to people, being kind to them and adding value to their “event experience” go a long way.
You know why?
Because most people don’t do this. They’re trying to “propose marriage on the first date”, which doesn’t build trust.
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It doesn’t work in life and it doesn’t work in business.
Give first. Be interested. The right people will come to you.
2. Share your story
As you can see in this article, sharing our story is powerful.
It builds trust, it makes us more memorable and it conveys our values.
Storytelling is the single most important tool in a leader’s arsenal. Stephen Denning
You’re going to be just 1 person amongst hundreds of other people your “prospects” will meet during such networking events.
That’s right, hundreds.
Each one of them will come up with a well thought-out strategy to gain a fraction of the other people’s mental space.
What guarantees you that they will remember who you are and what sort of problem you can solve for them?
Have you thought about that ?
That’s the reason why you can’t afford not to tell your story.
3. Do business with people who believe in what you believe
Most of the people I usually meet at networking events are great people, full of brilliant ideas and potential for business. But, business-wise, not everyone is the best fit for us and vice-versa.
And that’s totally fine.
We should be kind to them. Try to help by connecting them with people who could be a better fit for them and move on.
That’s exactly what I do.
By being honest and not trying to sell my solution to them, at least now they know I’m a trustworthy person. And I saved my and their time in the process.
We shouldn’t try to sell our solution to people who don’t have the problem we solve. Donald Miller.
Honesty is part of the construction of a solid reputation.
In networking (and in life), reputation is everything.
Remember:
Provide value upfront: #givefirst mentality
Be memorable: share your story.
Be honest. The idea is not to do business with everyone. The idea is to do business with people who believe in what we believe.
During the biggest and most important technology and innovation event in Europe - Websummit - these 3 principles helped me connect with CEOs, founders, journalists, business leaders from a number of countries and, with some of these people, I have no doubt I will build a healthy business relationship moving forward.
If you are planning your participation in networking events for 2023 / 2024 and need help crafting your story so that you can make the most out of these occasions, let’s talk. I’m confident I can help you achieve your goals.
