A Simple System for Introverted Sellers To Make Networking Events More Impactful & Enjoyable

Early in my sales career, I loathed networking events.

As an introverted seller, I’d shy away from engaging with people. I’d stay tucked away in my hotel room. They would be a burden, stoked my anxiety, and ended up being wasted time and the company’s money.

I thought to myself “networking events are stupid…why am I here?!”

This would happen for years. I would resist the opportunity. I would show up with a deflated mindset. I would hide away in the corners. And everyone would be disappointed with the results… Them: “Where are the leads?” | Me: “Ummm.”

But taking a different approach for one event changed everything!

I applied a simple “sandwich system” comprised of a 3F framework that made this event more impactful and enjoyable. Since then, I’ve applied it to every event going forward. It’s contributed to consistent 7 figure earning years as a SaaS seller and my overall positive outlook on events.

Here’s how it works:

Layer 1: Focus

Before the event takes place, I focus on just one output — Search for a single meaningful engagement with a key account. That would be my mantra. To make that outcome achievable, I would focus on the input of researching a key account for the upcoming event and I’d focus 100% of my attention on them. This dramatically eased my mind and gave me a higher sense of purpose and conversation talking points.

Layer 2: Find

After connecting with a contact at my key account and unearthing a meaningful story, I felt like my mission was accomplished. This freed up more mental energy and gave me momentum to keep collecting more stories. Without any set expectations, I could engage on a human first, seller second level — meaning connect first before selling anything during happy hours and breaks. The result? More stories, more connections, more leads.

Layer 3: Follow-up

At the end of each day or the event, I followed up with 3 key items from our conversation:

• Gratitude: Thank them for spending time with me
• Summary: Provide 3 things we discussed as a reminder (and a way to stand out from the hundreds of other conversations they had)
• Invitation: Invite them to continue the conversation

Networking events don’t have to be complete chaos. If you’re an introvert like me and shy away from cold connections, applying the 3F “sandwich system” can be a simple way to make events more impactful and enjoyable. Happy thriving!

🐝

Read this post and more on my Typeshare Social Blog