Creating Connection through Speed Networking

Speed networking can sound scary. It's loud and quick and not for the fient hearted. To help you create connections that matter, here are some strategies to stand out and not get lost in the crowd. Here are a couple of quick take aways. 1. Check the font on your business cards, both the contrast and the font. Hint - give it to someone over 50 to read. 2. The people who stood out talked about the pleasure they find in being part of someone’s life and helping them within their speciality. 3. The importance of differentiating yourself when there are umpteen finance/mortgage brokers, or any multiple businesses. The people who stood out were able to articulate what they did differently, and what clients they particularly loved working with. 4. Ensure your name is on any information you give to others. 5. Take advantage of the opportunity to practice your elevator pitch over and over. You find out whether it sounds boring to your ears and because you talk to so many people you get to change it up as you go. I think I had it about right by the end. 6. The difference it makes when you tailor your pitch to the person in front of you (the hint that going second in the pairing helps you do this). I think this is what my pitch ended up sounding like at the end, note to self- next time take better notes! I’m passionate about reducing isolation and increasing connection. This is translated into supporting parents by working with them and their kids to help with anxiety, sleep problems, emotional and behavioural difficulties and school refusal. Also with parent education. And then in a non-clinical way helping mental health professionals reduce their isolation so they can keep doing great work to help others (or at least everything I said was some variation on that). If you are a mental health professional and concerned about burning out and would love to switch from traditional to fierce self-care with a focus on connection, I recommend you start here - the Time to Check In mini workbook. It will help you identify some of your biggest sources of stress and is aimed to give you structure to reflect on what is behind them.