What is Your Ideal Environment for Meeting People?

With the abundance of business networking events, there is no shortage of ways to meet people. Some situations will be more comfortable for you than others. It is important that you attend a variety of events so you can figure out the best format for you. Below are a few of the more common formats:

Open Networking
Most events have an open format, which gives you the freedom to mingle and meet people at your own pace. For those who are comfortable talking with new people, this format works well. For those who are not good at starting conversations, this format can be a challenge.

Structured Networking Activities
In the last several years, it has been more common to find events that are very structured such as SpeedNetworking. These events guarantee that you will meet people because you will be put into situations where you will be talking with people.

Small Group Roundtables or Discussions
Roundtable discussions are a great way to demonstrate your expertise and meet many like-minded people in a very intimate setting. In these groups, people introduce themselves and then have the opportunity to contribute to the conversation. Business leads groups share this format.

Online Networking
Connecting with people online is a great way to grow your network quickly. Using tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, and blogs will create a digital identity for you. For people who don’t like face-to-face encounters, online networking is in their comfort zone. However, I strongly suggest that you connect offline whenever possible when some of these people.

What environment do you like best?

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Comments

[Promise Phelon]

Jason, nice post. Yes-where you meet new people and network is a definite extension of one's networking style and what's most comfortable for them. Some of us, because of our communication style, are better at some styles and worse at others. It's important for everyone to realize what feels most comfortable, has been the most effective and do it with purpose.

[Jason Jacobsohn]

Thanks for your comments. Yes, you need to do what is most comfortable for you. Everyone has his/her own style.