5 Tips for Overcoming the Awkwardness When Virtual Networking for Business

According to the experts, it’s completely understandable to feel a bit awkward in certain situations. 

We all feel a bit nervous before heading into a room full of people that we don’t know. Unfortunately, social awkwardness can result in anxiety and avoidance for some people. Virtual networking does make it a bit easier since you’re not face-to-face with others, but it can still be a bit uncomfortable. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss 5 tips for overcoming the awkwardness when virtual networking for business. 

Define Your Audience 

In order to ensure that your virtual networking event is successful, you need to begin the process with your audience in mind. Think about who your audience is and how they are related. 

• What is it that they are trying to achieve? 
• Who would they like to meet at the event? 

The first thing you must do is determine if your attendees have already met or if they are strangers. This will have to be the determining factor in how your event is structured. If they already know each other, you don’t need to provide as much structure as you would with a group of strangers. 

Second, you must think about their goals and reasons for attending the event. These will vary, but usually, align with one or more of the following 

1. Get support?
2. Discover vendors/consultants to work with? 
3. Solve problems 
4. Become a mentor? 
5. Find a mentor? 
6. Connect with future collaborators? 
7. Prepare for a job change? 
8. Make friends? 
9. Spot future trends? 

Once you’ve done this, you can design your event. 

Design Event Based on Desired Outcome 

A successful virtual event will be designed with the outcome in mind. When you understand your audience and their motivations, you can determine the best way to run your event. If it's feasible, put together a test group to try out various activities and determine what works and what doesn’t before the event. 

This will keep you from including activities that will be a waste of time and ensure that you include activities that will provide value. 

Allow Attendees Choice / Control

Give your attendees the ability to choose the conversations they want to participate in, allowing them to come and go as they please. This gives them the independence to pursue areas they are interested in and leave activities that don’t contribute to their goals. 

Put Limits on Group Sizes 

When creating virtual events, it’s easy to allow group sizes to get too large. This makes it difficult for some attendees to join the conversation and dilutes their ability to have meaningful conversations with others. According to experts, 3 to 4 is the magic number for supporting meaningful, spontaneous conversations. This allows attendees to feel like they can contribute to the conversation - but you should also make sure that the group size reflects the anticipated outcome of your event. If your attendees are coming to collaborate, larger groups might be better. 

Create Structure with Icebreakers 

Icebreakers are a great way to bring structure to these events. At the beginning of the event, when people are still logging on, pose a conversation starter to the room. It can be a fun, lightweight question or a deep, meaningful one. The attendees will be glad they have the opportunity to discuss these topics. One benefit to these icebreakers is that they can be the start of beautiful friendships, partnerships, and so much more. When you choose them carefully based on your audience and their goals, they can create an experience that is truly memorable. 

Conclusion 

Social awkwardness is perfectly normal - even in virtual networking situations. However, it’s possible to make these situations easier with these tips. Organisers can use these tips to structure their events in such a way that everyone feels welcome and can get past the awkwardness of a new situation. Plus, this will help organisers ensure that attendees can meet their objectives and interact with others in meaningful ways.

Introducing: VIRTUAL NETWORKING SUCCESS – Learn How To Become Better At Networking To Build Long-Lasting Connections and Grow Your Business or Career