Top Presentation Skills to Learn for Business Networking Events

Networking is one of the most important skills for any business professional and can open up so many doors for your career. Great connections can lead to learning opportunities, promotional opportunities, sales opportunities and even new job opportunities. However, being a great networker doesn’t come easily to everyone. It is essentially the same as giving a presentation, except you are presenting yourself. Unless you possess the right presentation skills, you will have difficulty making personal or professional connections and using them to advance your career. Here we will explore some of the most essential presentation skills that can help you become better at networking. 

Communication Skills

Communication involves the ability to exchange information effectively from one person to another. It entails speaking in a way that is engaging and interesting, while also correctly conveying information. Presenters, for example, can have excellent slides and information but if they cannot convey it well, all of that hard work will have been for nothing. The same is true for networking. You can have so much to offer someone, but if you cannot communicate well with them, they will not remember you. Good communication is essential in order to develop and maintain relationships.  

Active Listening

Another important skill for business networking is active listening. If you want to get people excited about your business, you need to be able to listen and understand their needs. The same goes for giving a presentation. In order for a presentation to be successful, you must first seek to understand the needs of your audience. Active listening means you are not only focused on yourself and what you have to offer, but you are mutually interested in the other person as well. You demonstrate this through eye contact, nodding your head in agreement, and responding appropriately. 

Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication is just as important as the words you speak and is an essential networking skill. This means you need to be aware of your facial expressions, stance, posture, and eye contact. Think about it. Would you be more likely to strike up a conversation with someone who is smiling and radiating confidence or someone who is hunched over looking at a phone screen? 

Confidence

Confidence can have a powerful impact on your ability to network. Just as audiences are drawn to a confident speaker, the same is true for confidence in networking. You can build confidence by using positive affirmations with yourself, practicing speaking in front of others, and preparing for your networking event in advance. You can also build confidence by dressing professionally and arriving early to your event. Even if all you are doing is introducing yourself, you want people to see you do it confidently. 

Engage with People

You probably know that engagement is hugely important for presenters in order to capture an audience’s attention, but it is equally important when networking. There are likely hundreds of people at business networking events so you need to find a unique way to make yourself stand out. Engage with those you meet by finding common ground such as similar hobbies or interests and using that to make small talk. You may also want to tell interesting stories or infuse a little humor to make yourself more memorable. Be sure to invite the other person to share with you as well and involve them in the conversation. All of these are great ways to make your conversation more engaging and memorable.