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Attention introverts, do you want three surefire ways to start a networking conversation? If you do, I've got that and so much more on this edition of the Inside B.S. Show. Hey now, I'm Dave Lorenzo. I'm the Godfather of Growth and today we're getting right to it with three ways for introverts to start a networking conversation. These are foolproof. Even if you hate people, these will work for you. So the first way for an introvert to start a networking conversation is to use the buddy system and here's how that works. You go to a networking event with a friend and the friend is a little bit more comfortable with dialogue and with having conversations than you are. You as the introvert take your friend and you walk up to a person that you want to meet and you say, hi, my name is and you introduce yourself and then you say, I'd like to introduce you to my friend and then you point to your friend and you say something fantastic about your friend. So for example, if I go to a networking meeting with my friend, Steve Glick, who's a realtor and we go to a networking meeting in Chicago, Steve and I walk up to someone and I say, hi, my name is Dave Lorenzo. I'm a business strategy consultant. I'd like to introduce you to my friend. This is Steve Glick. He's the best realtor in Chicago. He just sold a $3 million home in downtown Chicago. He sold it in less than 60 days and he was able to get both the buyer and the seller exactly what they were looking for. Isn't that fantastic? The people who you're introducing Steve to are like, wow, that is fantastic, Steve. How did you do that? And Steve is teed up to have a great conversation and you look like the hero because you introduced Steve who you know really well and you started the whole conversation. What will happen next is that Steve and the people he's talking to will get into a back and forth dialogue and at some point, Steve will introduce you and Steve will ask you something about yourself that you are prepared to answer and that will lead you into a conversation that will most likely be comfortable for you because the ice will be broken and you will have an answer to the question that Steve tees up for you. But you won't have to talk first other than to introduce your pal to the other person. That's the first way for an introvert to start a networking conversation. The second way for an introvert to start a networking conversation is to simply ask a question about something that's going on. So one of the things that I love to have introverts do is go up to the table where you're getting the name tags and say to the person at the table, who's the most interesting person that you've given a name tag to so far? And they will say, oh that would be John Smith or oh that would be Stephen blah blah blah and then say, why did you find that person so interesting? They'll tell you and then you put on your name tag and you walk up to that person. They'll point them out to you. They won't likely be able to leave the table but they'll point that person out to you and you can walk up to Stephen Smith and say, Jolene at the table with the name tags said you were the most interesting person because you did this and this and this. I'm wondering, because I'm not great at networking, I'm wondering how you got so comfortable at these types of events. That will break the ice and it immediately puts you in a vulnerable position and the person you're talking to will most likely want to help you out. Now here's the thing. It may be uncomfortable for you to ask the person at the table that question but since you have to get the name tag anyway and it's going to be an awkward situation anyway, you might as well ask them to go to work for you. If they would be comfortable introducing you to the person who's the most interesting person they've given a name tag to, that's great. If they aren't interested in introducing you, then you have a way to break the ice with them by complimenting them and then you immediately say, I'm not comfortable in these situations. How did you get so good at them? Now that goes hand in hand with the third way for an introvert to start a networking conversation. And the third way for an introvert to start the networking conversation is simply to go up to someone, anyone and say, hi my name is, in my case I would say Dave, my name is Dave. What's your name? They would say their name and you say to them, I see you're standing here by yourself. I have to admit these types of events make me very uncomfortable. What do you do to feel good about networking at an event like this? Now I know this is something that is going to make a lot of you have your hair stand on end because you got to go up to a stranger and you got to start a conversation. But the secret to success in this type of environment is being vulnerable because you give someone the opportunity to help you. They feel good because they're helping you. You feel good because they're doing all the talking. So if you see someone standing by themselves at a networking event, the easiest thing for you to do when you want to start a conversation is walk up to them and say, hi my name is. I'm always uncomfortable at these events. What do you do to break the ice and make yourself feel better about the situation? If they, I mean, what's the worst that can happen? They're not going to run away. They're going to say, I'm so sorry you feel uncomfortable. Here's what I do. I like to introduce myself to somebody else. I like to connect with a person I know. I like to blah, blah, blah. You're at a networking event. The worst thing that can happen is you stand by yourself. The best thing that can happen is you make a connection that can deliver business to you or that can become your best friend. I will tell you one of my favorite networking stories of all time. I joined a group called Provisors during the COVID-19 pandemic. I met people on Zoom and I had never met them in real life before. I was a member of a group in Chicago because where I live, there were no groups at the time. All the meetings were on Zoom. When things came back to normal and business started being transacted in person again, they had an in-person event for 300 people in Chicago for this group, for Provisors. I got on a plane and I flew to Chicago not knowing anyone. And I walked in the room and I used exactly these techniques. The person I knew from Chicago, who I had spent the most time with, was a regional director who signed me up. I went up to the regional director first, asked her to introduce me to someone. After she introduced me to that person, I used the, hey, I feel uncomfortable technique with somebody else. I then introduced that other person to two or three other people and that made them feel comfortable and they introduced me to people. Five years later, these are some of the best friends that I have in the entire world, having met them at a networking event for the first time. I am admittedly an extrovert, obviously getting on a plane, going to Chicago and going to a place where I didn't know anyone. But for you, you're watching this video because you're going to have to go to a networking event at some point. And you feel uncomfortable. You feel like you're an introvert. The key is to make that first connection, make that first friend, no matter how you do it, using any of these techniques, and then take that friend with you and use that friend, introduce them to other people. And that will be your way of breaking the ice. I know as an introvert, you're going to find this exhausting. But if you have to go to a networking event, don't hide in the bathroom. Use these tips. Use these techniques. They will help you become successful. I'm Dave Lorenzo. I'm the Godfather of Growth. If you want more great information like this, you can join me for my podcast every day at 6 a.m. wherever you get your podcast. The name of it is The Inside BS Show. If you want live Q&A with me, join me on LinkedIn at 11 a.m. every day. If you want videos, find me on YouTube. Just type in my name, Dave Lorenzo. I'll see you back on the podcast tomorrow at 6 a.m. or on LinkedIn tomorrow at 11 a.m. or 24-7, 365 on YouTube until we see each other again. Here's hoping you make a great living and live a great life.