TIN #091 - Overcoming the Fear of Rejection in Networking
How Introverts Can Overcome Networking Challenges
Hey! Greg here.
Every week, I receive insightful questions and challenges from you all about networking.
This week, let's tackle a few of these head-on with practical strategies tailored for our introverted community.
This issue takes about 4 minutes to read…
Before We Get Started:
My online course, “5 Steps To Grow Your Professional Network,” is FREE for all my newsletter subscribers. Learn the process I use everyday to grow my professional network.
Each week, I post a new podcast with tips you’ll find in the weekly newsletter and bonus stories, wisdom, and motivation. The Introverted Networker podcast is like the weekly newsletter but with additional narration and thoughts from me. Be sure to listen to this week’s podcast and check out the previous episodes of the podcast as well.
The video version of the podcast is available on my YouTube channel.
Understanding Your Networking Challenges
One question I recently received was:
“I’m not a social person. I know I need to network. What do I do?”
Let me start with: I’m not a very social person either.
And that’s ok.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by networking, especially if social interactions aren’t your forte.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t network.
Remember, networking doesn’t require you to step completely out of your comfort zone, such as attending large events where you know few people.
Instead, effective networking can start much closer to home.
Embrace Your Current Connections
Start Small, Start Known: If you’re apprehensive about reaching out to new people, begin with those you already know.
This can be friends, family, former coworkers, or acquaintances.
These are individuals who already understand your value and are more likely to be receptive, making rejection less likely.
Action Steps:
List Your Contacts: Write down names of people you already know but haven’t kept in touch with.
Reach Out: Send a simple message. It could be a check-in email, a LinkedIn message, or even a text. Something as simple as, "Hi [Name], I was thinking about our last conversation on [topic] and wondered how you’re doing."
Cultivating Connections
Deepening Relationships: Networking isn’t always about expanding the number of your connections but deepening the relationships with those you already have.
Regular, meaningful conversations can strengthen these ties.
Action Steps:
Schedule Regular Check-ins: Set a reminder to reach out to your contacts regularly. This doesn’t have to be frequent—every few months is a good start.
Keep Conversations Open and Genuine: Ask about their projects, interests, and challenges. Show genuine interest.
Overcoming Fear of Rejection
Another question I’ve gotten recently is:
“I’m afraid of rejection. How do I deal with this in networking?”
My answer to this question is the same as the one above: Start with who you know.
Fear of rejection is common but remember, networking with familiar faces minimizes this risk. People who you already know are less likely to reject you because they already know you. This is a good place to start networking because the risk is lower.
If someone you know doesn’t respond to your messages, don’t take it personally.
They might be busy or simply overlook messages.
Action Steps:
Be Patient and Persistent: If you don’t get a response, give it some time before following up.
Use Soft Reminders: A gentle nudge after a few weeks can be effective. For example, “Just wanted to bump this up in your inbox. Hope all’s well!”
Preparing for Non-Responses
The last question I’ve received recently is:
“What do I do if people don’t respond to my messages?”
When I get this question, I ask:
Who?
How long?
Who did you send the message to? Was it to a stranger or someone you already know. If it’s a stranger, you aren’t going to get many responses. Switch to sending messages to people you know.
If you are sending messages to people you know and aren’t getting responses, how long ago did you send the message?
If it’s been a few days or even weeks, be patient.
People have lives.
Not everyone logs into LinkedIn every day.
They may not have read your message. Or, they read it and haven’t had time to respond. It’s common for people to respond after time has passed.
Action Steps:
Send Messages To People You Know: Review who you are contacting and make changes to your list if you are trying to connect with strangers.
Same as actions for Overcoming Fear Of Rejection, Be Patient and Persistent: Send a gentle follow up message saying, “Hey, not sure if you saw my last messages, but checking in to see how you were?”
Wrapping Up
This week, I challenge you to reach out to at least three people you already know but haven't spoken to in a while.
Networking starts with one small step—make that step about reconnecting this week!
Thank you for being part of our community.
If this advice helped you or if you have more questions, don’t hesitate to reply to this email or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Let's keep the conversation going!
Always Be Connecting,
Greg