Why every introvert entrepreneur needs to master networking (2024)

The last thing you want to do is think about meeting a bunch of strangers, having casual small talk, and handing out business cards, hoping that people will call you back for your services, right?

So don’t!

You don’t have to do any of that to win at networking. As an introvert, you have a superpower that people take for granted …let me tell you a quick story about a conversation I had with my little brother.

It’s the middle of summer; the heat was blazing as we are clearing out my old studio.

My little brother looks at me and asked me such a simple and profound question…

“What’s more important, working hard or who you know?

Here we are sweating like pigs in a heatwave and this guy is hitting me with profound life questions.

How dear he!haha

My answer was BOTH! You have to work hard enough to have the skills to deliver, but you need the right people in your life to get access to opportunities.

In this book, im going to share with you the things that I have learned over the years that helped me go from living in my 2004 Pontic Bonneville to generating a 6 figure income for myself and helping my clients bring in over 7 figures.

Right now, you might have a few questions bouncing around:

Why do I need to be a good networker? Isn't it enough to just be great at what I do?

Only if you are ok with consistently missing out on money that should be yours. 75% of consumers make decisions or overcome concerns about brands based on conversations with peers.

That means nearly 8 out of 10 people who need what you offer will be influenced by someone they know.

Just this week I had a client that was talking about working with a company for a project. I asked them if they were committed to working with the business they named or if they would be open to a recommendation. My client said yes and now they are signing a contract that is worth nearly 10,000 dollars annually.

The idea of feeling like a salesperson pushing my business just rubs me the wrong way. I'd rather have genuine conversations and build relationships.

Let's be real here, if you are worried about coming off salesy the chances of that happening are next to zero.

Thats an internal fear you have of not wanting to be pushy. People dont like salespeople because they push to take from you without offering up anything.

Networking done right is about giving, not taking. You build relationships by showing you can be counted on.

The other evening on my way home, I had the president of the local Habitat for Humanity call me. This call was a referral from someone in my network. At the end of the call, I shared my two cents about how they can get more eyes on their organization and then offered to connect her to other professionals wherever needed.

No push…All value.

I dread making small talk with so many people at these events. It's exhausting trying to come up with conversation starters all night.

Let's be honest, small talk at these events can be brutal, especially for us introverts. We'd all rather have meaningful conversations, right? But here's the thing - sometimes those conversations start with a little "Hello, how are you doing?"

Think of it like planting a seed. You ask a question, show genuine interest, and who knows? That simple hello could blossom into a real connection. And even if it doesn't turn into a business deal right away, you never know when that person might remember you down the line and refer you to someone else.

Here’s the deal, I dont know what made you click on an article about networking. Maybe you lost a business deal because of the wrong connection. It stings when you hear back from a promising potential customer “I went with someone else” all because they got a referral from a friend.

Maybe you see how much business you are losing out on because people dont know what you do. The moment when someone is telling you about how they just hired someone to do work for them that you could have done and they hit you with the kiss of death “oh, if id known I would have hired you”.

This series of articles will show you how to harness your introvert superpower to network less while building a powerful reputation, find your tribe and develop real relationships that create profitable partnerships.

Whether you are new to the world of networking or you’re a seasoned introverted networker, i’ll show you how to get the maximum return out of your networking using an approach developed by an introvert for introverts.

So if you are ready to build a network that could change your life? Drop “I’m Ready” in the comments to join me as I share my “Introvert Networking Secercts”.