Prologue: This post may not connect to folks who are born networkers, aka extroverts. Meet an introvert, who talks less, then you’d know how difficult it is to break the ice, forget exchanging cards.
I remember the days when I was a sissy in networking, utter failure. I would come back from events, meetings, gatherings with not much accomplished, maybe meeting an equally gullible 1-2 people.
Then someone (Don’t remember who or maybe I read in a book) educated me about the 3-second rule when entering a gathering. The 3-second rule is simple:
Connect with someone in the first 3-seconds of entering a gathering or a crowd or a room.
Why the first 3-seconds are important?
It’s psychological. The more you delay making the first contact, the harder it becomes. The moment you overcome the first contact, more of them would follow easily.
This rule has done wonders for me in networking even during the days when I was just thinking of starting up and tried penetrating into a room full of “been-there-done-it” folks.
Pro Version: I use a slightly advanced version of this 3-second rule now-a-days. I call it a ridiculously named, “Deep-6-second” rule. Instead, of 3 seconds, I give 6-seconds and try to move as deep into the crowd as possible and make the contact as soon as the time expires. Why? Most people whom I wanna connect to are not near the door, but they are nearer to the center of the room.
Networking and connecting with people is important and it’s an art you keep honing.
Tags: networking
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