When we started marketing Underdog Influence Con, we received all sorts of inquiries. Questions like, "Can I get a discount?", "Will social media be covered?" and more.
They were kind of interesting.
When people send us messages, it gives us pieces of insights into what they want. Their pain, fears, hopes and dreams.
But then we received a question that we never expected. Here it is:
We're wired to avoid risks.
Wow. First off, she was super honest.
Most people are actually anxious about networking. They just don't admit it.
What do I say? Who do I approach? What if people think I'm a weirdo?
Even for those who are used to attending events. You'll notice they tend to stick around with people they are familiar with – instead of going around to meet new people.
It's understandable.
Doing something new – going to an unfamiliar event, talking to people you don't know, a new routine – is a risk.
And we're biologically wired to avoid risks.
But if you've already invested time and money to attend an event. So here's how to make the best out of it.
5 body language strategies when talking to anybody.
I previously shared a guide on how to talk to anybody. This time, I'll share a few powerful body language strategies.
Let me briefly break down the strategies:
1 - Smile
Yup. That's it.
One of the reasons I love visiting Thailand is because of how warm and welcoming the local people are. The reason? They smile a lot more.
Smiling makes you approachable. It'll be hard not to return a smile when someone smiles at you.
2 - Go in with 110% energy
Everyone wants to be next to the person with great energy. Not the overly hyped-up guy. But the one with the right energy levels.
In a social setting, people mirror the behavior of other people. They'll look to the people they perceive to be charismatic and reflect their energy.
You enter a room, and everyone has this good energy going on. The last thing you want is to appear disconnected by not matching the energy level.
3 - Slow down
We tend to speak faster when we get nervous or excited. Talk too fast and you'll lose the person you're talking to. What's worse – you lose your credibility.
Look at leaders of huge companies, prime ministers, CEOs and you'll notice they speak slowly. They put in pauses and pronounce every word correctly.
Watch Obama's winning speech in 2018. He should be excited, but yet notice how grounded he is.
What feels slow to you, is normal to others.
4 - Where are your hands?
One thing that has boggled me for years is – what to do with our hands when talking?
To this day, I don't have a one-fits-all answer.
But I know you'd want to avoid crossing your arms when talking to people. Why? When you do so, your body language says you're in self-defense mode and not accepting anything the other person is saying.
Use your hands to make some gestures. If you want to be safe, just put them in your pocket and leave your body open.
5 - Look them in their eyes
Ever spoken to a child who's lying about their homework? Where are they looking at? They're probably not going to look you in the eye!
Even dogs do this.
That's why maintaining eye contact is so important. It gives off non-verbal cues of trust and acceptance.
An eye contact technique I learned is the 5-second rule. You maintain 4-5 seconds of eye contact, look elsewhere, and then come back again. Simple. It's very natural.
Networking is a learnable skill
That means you'll get better the more you practice it. But this time, you're going to consciously notice your body language cues and improve it.
