Get to know people

On Tuesday, I presented my Power Networking for Introverts session through a webinar sponsored by the Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP). This webinar was done by phone, and attendees were able to see my slides on their computer screens. Aside from some technical difficulties, it turned out to be a lot of fun, and it was easier talking to a group of people on the phone than I had anticipated. But for me, the webinar pointed out the importance of face-to-face contact. I had none of the non-verbal cues that a speaker gets from their audience. And, because everyone’s phone was muted unless they had a question, I couldn’t tell if they thought I had something important to say, if I was saying it well, or if my jokes were funny.

 When you build your network, you are looking for people that you know, like, and trust enough that you’d refer a friend. You also want those people to know, like, and trust you. There’s no better way for this to happen than to get away from your computer, get out of the office, and talk to people - in small groups or one-on-one. It’s easier to get to know someone with the addition of non-verbal cues and real-time communication. So why not go through your contacts, select just one person you haven’t seen in a while, and schedule a coffee for next week?