I am very much an extrovert whereas my husband is very much an introvert. People joke about this dynamic in couples. I have seen several reels lately stating behind every “chatty husband/wife” is an antisocial spouse. For my household, the struggle comes into play because mine and my husbands cups are full at completely different times of the day.

My husband wakes up ready to conquer the day. He has been in the house without any expectations to talk to anyone besides his family for over 12 hours so he is ready to have all the conversations. I, on the other hand, need interactions with lots of people to get me going. Mornings are a huge struggle for me while I am getting ready. On the opposite side, when I get home from work I am full of energy and ready to talk about anything and everything (extrovert here) but my husband is completely drained. Over the years we have figured out a balance of how I can meet him where he is at when he is 100% and he meets me where I am at when I am 100%.

But this blog is not a marriage advice piece, it’s about networking.

Networking is no different.

Communication Style

The first thing you need to do when figuring out how to network is to identify your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to talking to people. Below are some guiding questions you can ask yourself;

• What type of conversations do I like to have?
• Do you enjoy deep and intellectually challenging conversations?
• Do you enjoy fun conversations that are easily accessible?
• One on one or group setting?
• Conferences or casual get togethers?

Event Preparation

Next, determine when you have the most energy to engage with people. My husband would choose to do something in the morning with a very small group of people. Here are some examples of networking he would do or how to prepare;

• Choose events that align with your interest
  • Coffee meetings
  • Book clubs
  • Continuing education classes
  • Specific promotional events
  • Online conferences or industry groups
• Arrive early to grasp the vibe of the event
• Prepare an elevator pitch that you can easily share with anyone you talk to
• Be okay with stepping away when you need to recharge
• Get contact information so you can follow up in a smaller setting

I would much prefer an after work event with a ton of people. I love bouncing around from person to person to chat about life and what is new. Here are a few examples of things I tend to do to prepare for events I gravitate towards;

• Local in person conferences or events
  • Professional trainings in your career area
  • Be a presenter, its a great way to meet people
  • Promotional events
  • Social events by local businesses
• Prepare questions that you can ask people when in a one on one conversation
• Business cards
• Be intentional to speak to as many people as possible
• Plan ideas for follow up conversations to continue the dialogue
• Show genuine interest and give your full attention to each person

Online Presence

In addition to learning your style of networking in person, you need to explore your style of networking online. Online platforms help busy people and people in different areas connect. Each platform has a specific purposes and flow. LinkedIn is a great setting to looking for career connections, read about new trends, and get ideas for how to build your resume. Social Media platforms such as Facebook and Instragram are powerful tools to share things you are doing in your life as well as learn about companies and the social impact they are having on communities. Twitter is a platform that helps members stay informed about what is going on around the world. Blogging communities such as WordPress allow people to share their thoughts, ideas, and read about other people or companies.

When you are preparing to network and grow your personal brand, you need to have a plan of action. Cultivate the social media presence you want, share articles, comment on other people’s content, and make yourself visible. Learn what you style of communication and types of interactions you are best at and build from there. All of these steps will help guide you along the way to grow your professional network.