So many aspects of networking events can be brutal for introverts – approaching strangers, making small talk, self-promotion – but recently I had the pleasure of attending a networking event that basically did away with all of those things. Called “Intimate” Alliances, it was organized by Neworld Coaching to help business owners explore joint ventures with one another. Each participant met with every other person in the room for an allotted period of time, during which we asked each other a series of specific questions. In other words, you didn’t have to go up to people and introduce yourself if you weren’t comfortable doing that, because you would be meeting everyone at some point anyway. You didn’t have to make small talk, because there were structured discussion topics. And you didn’t have to promote your products or services, because that wasn’t the purpose of the event.

If that still sounds like too much interaction for you, Neworld Coaching has another solution that might be right up your alley - their Beehive Game Online lets you network from the comfort of your own home or office!

I’d like to add that both forms of networking have proven effective for me, as well as letting me stay in my comfort zone!

I am constantly coming across blogs related in some way to introversion. There must be something about the nature of blogging that appeals to us introverts. We can stand up and say what we think without having to actually stand up and say what we think!

My latest discovery is Power Networking for Introverts which has the tagline “A blog by an introvert for introverts.” Written by Marcy Phelps of Phelps Research, it provides lots of tips and helpful resources, including book reviews. While I was poking around, it brought me to an article on another blog called 25 articles on networking for shy people which should give you plenty to read over the next while!