How to Network if You Hate Talking to People!

For those of you who fall into this category, you are, in fact, extremely fortunate that the internet and social networking groups make up such a large part of our lives today.  Just think: ten years ago or so, communicating meant actually addressing another human being face to face, which meant that you were at risk of not having anything to say to people!  Or, worse yet, that you might open your mouth and put your foot right in it!

Now, courtesy of the web, you can phrase things exactly as you wish them to appear, and if you don’t like how something sounds, you can just hit the backspace key and begin again!  However, if you can muster the courage to do so, get yourself to a couple of events every so often.

What’s the mystery behind becoming a good networker? Well, first, you have to cultivate a genuine interest in others.  For instance, the reason you find yourself asking the author you just met what it’s like to produce a novel, is not simply to engage in chit-chat, but instead, because you really WANT to know! 

The good news is that even if you dislike talking about yourself, you can usually muster enough courage to ask someone else about her career or upbringing.  Every one on the face of this planet has a story to tell as well as some interesting experiences to share. Your job as a successful networker is to get them to talk about it.

You might start the conversation by saying, “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be a stockbroker. There must be a TON of things to learn.” A statement of this type will usually evoke an enthusiastic reaction from your partner who is anxious to share his ‘story’ with you.