Professional Networking Strategies: Three Approaches for Engaging Conversations

When engaging in professional networking, you may encounter conversations that seem boring. Here are three professional networking strategies you can use to make the conversation more engaging and beneficial.

Start by gaining basic knowledge about their field or industry. Treat the person as a subject matter expert and a personal tutor on the topic. Ask questions like: What does your work entail? What’s the business model? Who are the different players in your field? What does an average day of work look like for you? Don’t hesitate to ask for explanations of any acronyms they use.

Dive deeper into their opinions and perspectives related to their work. This approach helps you develop a broader understanding of the topic. Make comparisons to check your understanding. For example, you could ask: Is having a personal wealth manager like having a general contractor who finds subcontractors for you, while managing your investments with online brokerages is more like shopping online and reading reviews yourself? This approach allows you to expand your knowledge and seek clarification on specific aspects.

Learn why they care about their field/industry (Understand their motivations)

Explore the personal motivations behind their work. This approach is useful when you genuinely want to understand their perspective or when you are not particularly interested in the topic itself. Ask questions like: How did you get into wealth management? Have you always been interested in money? What makes you stay in this field? What are some of your favorite customer success stories? Understanding what underlies someone’s passion and motivation might be more interesting than the work itself.

During the conversation, try to refer to your own experiences or opinions on related matters. This may prompt them to ask you follow-up questions. If they don’t, continue asking questions to gain useful knowledge from the conversation. People generally enjoy talking about their passions, so by showing interest in their field and making them feel good about themselves, you leave a favorable impression.

Regarding which approach you naturally gravitate towards, it depends on your personal preferences and the specific situation. Some individuals may find themselves naturally inclined towards one approach over the others. However, it’s beneficial to be adaptable and use a combination of these approaches based on the context and the person you are engaging with.

Which of these professional networking approaches do you think that you naturally gravitate towards? If this post was helpful, please share it with a friend or post it on social media. You can also check out these tips on how to make networking less stressful or these on how to grow your professional network.