15 min read 16th Mar 2026
If you’re an introvert, you might feel that networking is reserved for extroverts
But networking isn’t about forcing yourself to sit through feeling overwhelmed or awkward, or pretending to be an extrovert. It’s about playing to your strengths as an introvert.
After all, a lot of the people at networking events are introverts, including CEOs. Our own founder at Body Talk, Richard Newman, has been teaching communication skills for over 20 years – and is an introvert.
Being an introvert doesn’t mean you can’t network – it just means you need a different approach. In this blog, we’ll take you through how networking for introverts works, with strategies you can use to transform your influence.
Why do you need to network as an introvert?
It’s easy to think that you don’t need to network to be successful. And it’s true that there are other ways for you to find new opportunities.
But it’s also true that there are a lot of opportunities that only come through networking. When you’re networking – especially face-to-face – you’re not just another name in an inbox or a profile in a directory. You’re personally setting yourself apart. By engaging directly with others, you’re also learning about opportunities that would have passed you by if you had stayed behind the scenes or relied solely on online connections.
And the truth is, extroverts aren’t always the biggest fans of networking either. Many feel it’s too sales-driven and inauthentic. So, if you approach networking with authenticity and genuine interest in others, you’re going to improve their experience.
What are the benefits of networking for introverts?
When you network, you get the opportunity to:
- Build genuine connections. A lot of people think networking is about sales, but if it’s done well, it’s about getting curious. How can you solve problems for one another through your skillset or the people you know? This is how you build meaningful relationships, because they don’t feel forced.
- Learn new perspectives that genuinely improve your workflow. Every person you talk to brings with them their own lived experience, and they might have faced the exact same issue as you, or have expertise that no one else in your circle does.
- Become a better communicator. Like any other skill, the more you practice communication, the more it improves. That might be hard to believe at first, but you will notice it yourself, especially as it feeds into other areas of your life – like how confidently you can deliver presentations or lead team meetings.
- Maintain a competitive edge. People naturally want to talk about change. Networking is a great way for you to become a part of these conversations and make sure you’re keeping up with the innovation happening in your sector. Lots of networking events also include informative talks, where you can upskill or learn new ways to improve your business processes.
- Increase brand visibility. The more you appear at networking events, the more people know about you and think of you when they need your services.
- Become part of a community. If you’re a business owner or freelancer working mostly alone, you might find your work lonely – but networking can introduce you to other people in the same position as you, and even new friends.
Networking strategies that you can use as an introvert
How can you play to your strengths as an introvert to become a successful networker?
Listen deeply and be comfortable with pauses
Introverts often make good listeners. As Body Talk coach (and introvert) Jennifer Batram explains in her blog post on how introverts communicate, introverts communicate best when they’ve had some time to reflect on what’s been said.
How does this help you when you’re networking?
Think about the difference in the conversations you’ve had where the other person has been present and engaged, making eye contact with you as you talk, and asking you questions to better understand what you’re telling them. When you take the time to really listen to someone and reflect on what they’ve said before replying, they notice.
Don’t be afraid to pause after they’ve spoken to think. You don’t need to fill silences straight away, and being comfortable with a gap in conversation can help you to chose your next words more carefully and have more meaningful conversations.
Set clear goals
A lot of people go into networking events with the goal of speaking to everyone, or ‘working the room.’ But this can lead you to not getting as much out of the conversations you do have. We recommend putting quality over quantity and basing your goals around connection instead.
One way to do this is focus on being genuinely helpful to the people you’re talking to. You could make your goal to ask each person three open-ended questions, for example, so that you can learn about their needs and find common ground. It can also ease your nerves, as you’re focusing more on helping others than on how you’re being perceived.
While it’s useful to plan some questions ahead of time, stay flexible. As mentioned, listening deeply and basing your questions on what they’re saying is generally more effective than changing the subject with a new, unrelated question.
Have realistic expectations
Don’t feel that you have to say something interesting or give the perfect elevator pitch in every interaction. As an introvert, you’re likely to already be a little out of your comfort zone at a networking event, and putting pressure on yourself like this can take away from your confidence.
Instead of trying to be perfect, we suggest simply trying to ‘lift’ the person you’re talking to. The idea of this is that the person you’re talking to feels emotionally lifted or elevated by the end of the conversation.
Small things, like showing genuine interest in people, leaning forward, and making eye contact as they talk, are a simple way to ‘lift’ your new connections and change the way that they remember you.
Find out more about why lifting works in Richard Newman’s book ‘Lift Your Impact.’
Plan ahead
If you’ve got a networking event coming up, plan for how you’ll get there and where you’ll park. This helps you to go in feeling calm and collected.
You should also think about when you want to arrive. If you find it difficult to approach groups, or you prefer one-to-one conversation, arriving early can mean you get to start making connections before groups form.
And on the other side of that, plan for when you’ll leave as well. If you find you tend to stay too long at social events out of politeness, set a timeframe for how long you’ll stay – like one hour – so that you can get the most out of that time and leave feeling positive. There’s nothing wrong with taking breaks or giving yourself permission to leave earlier, either. If you listen to your social battery and do what feels right for you, you’ll be more likely to feel good about going to network again.
Reflect afterwards
After networking, think about what went well. And again, don’t put too much pressure on this at first. If you dread networking and you showed up to the event, that’s a win.
If there are things you weren’t happy with, think of ways you can improve instead of criticising yourself too much. For example, if you struggled to introduce yourself, think about why that was. If it was nerves, remember that everyone is there to meet people, and you don’t need to worry about fear of rejection. They’ll expect you to approach, and might even be grateful for it if they had the same worry.
Vary the way you network
Remember that you can network in any way that you like, and you don’t have to rely on attending events. Once you’ve made some connections, you can arrange one-on-one conversations or ask them to introduce you to other people through one-on-one conversations if you prefer this.
Whether you’re engaging in a group setting or connecting individually, make sure to follow up afterwards. A simple thank-you note, mentioning something specific they shared, can go a long way in strengthening the relationship.
If you’re looking for more tips on making a great first impression, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at our 15 business networking tips for even more ideas to help you connect with confidence.
How to find networking events to attend as an introvert
Finding networking events doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook are great resources for discovering business networking groups, both within your industry and locally. You can also check out events hosted by industry associations or certification providers. For example, organisations like The CPD Certification Service run a variety of business-focused events that can help you connect with like-minded professionals.
A great way to find out about events is by asking for recommendations from colleagues or any connections you already have. This way you can go in knowing more about what to expect, and if the event will be well suited to you.
Networking events happen both online and in-person, and while face-to-face is often the best for building connections, virtual events offer their own unique opportunities. Check out our blog on virtual networking to make the most out of your online connections.
Become the person everyone wants to talk to with business networking training from Body Talk
Your impact is something you can control. And that doesn’t mean putting your authentic self aside and pretending to be an extrovert – it means learning how to communicate in a way that tells people who you really are.
We teach this in high-energy, hands-on sessions at Body Talk. You’ll leave every session feeling energised, with science-backed techniques that you can use straight away.
Instead of walking out of your networking sessions feeling overwhelmed or like you didn’t ‘make the most of it,’ you’ll walk out excited about the doors you’ve opened for yourself.
Explore our business networking training
Frequently asked questions
We’ve answered your most common questions about networking as an introvert.
Is networking hard for introverts?
Networking can be hard for introverts because they don’t tend to gain energy from socialising in the same way an extrovert does, especially when they’re speaking to strangers. But introverts can, and do, enjoy networking.
It’s about networking in a way that works for you. That can look like choosing a one-on-one conversation over an event, or it could look like going into an event with set boundaries like giving yourself permission to leave when you’re running out of energy, or taking breaks.
Are extroverts better at networking than introverts?
Extroverts are not necessarily better at networking than introverts – they usually thrive in social interactions, but this doesn’t mean they don’t feel awkward at networking events or struggle to see results from them.
Networking skills are more about having the ability to understand the other person and listen to them – something introverts tend to do really well at. This is what leads you to making more meaningful connections, past the point of having the perfect thing to say in the moment.
What can I do to have more meaningful conversations whilst networking?
To have more meaningful conversations whilst networking, focus on being a giver. A lot of networking conversations get stuck in small talk, but if you’re thinking about giving, you can learn what that person really needs from you.
At your next networking event, try asking them open-ended questions that encourage more than ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ and show them that you’re listening. Lean in, make eye contact, and really focus on the words that they’re saying. Are they positive or negative words? What does their tone of voice tell you about how they feel?
This creates a deeper connection, because you’re learning more about their world and showing that you care about it instead of trying to fit them into yours.
Back