29 Apr How to Make New Connections When You Can’t Connect In Person

You’ve honed your elevator speech. You have fabulous business cards. You understand the art of small talk. The problem? Most professional events have been canceled due to the coronavirus.

You and your colleagues may not be grabbing coffee for a while, but working in isolation doesn’t have to mean social isolation – or keep you isolated from keeping in touch with both old and potential new clients.  Here’s what you can do to stay connected – and make connections – in these unprecedented times.

• Put in the effort. Social distancing makes it easy to let one week, then two, then a month slip by without creating any new contacts. Instead of waiting for things to get back to “normal,” find new ways to network by emailing old contacts, participating in webinars, and updating your LinkedIn profile. You might even start your own online networking group over Zoom – because why wait for someone else to do it?
• Practice Zoom etiquette. Most professional events have been taking place on Zoom, Webex, or another virtual platform. The same in-person networking rules apply, but because you don’t know who’s looking at you at any given time, you should always have your game-face on. Make sure your background is well-lit and professional, and that you’re looking directly into the camera.
• Always follow up. You might not be able to exchange business cards in person, but you can still follow up with anyone you meet online. A thank-you email is more than just a professional courtesy: it’s a great way to keep the conversation going.

Need some more digital networking tips? Give us a call at (888) 587-4593, x 1 to learn more about how you can turn conversations into contacts – and contacts into connections –  online and off.