If you know me, you know I’ve been self-employed for about a year and a half.  As a new entrepreneur, I am enjoying the flexibility of my schedule the most.  But I came to a shocking realization shortly after turning in my two week notice.  The “Yay-I-Have-No-Boss” side of me forgot to share with the “Alone-With-A-Book-On-A-Friday-Night-Don’t-Call-Me” side some crucial information:

• People don’t pay you if you have no interaction with them.
• You can’t find new clients without interacting with other human beings.

No matter how introverted you feel you are, if you want to be an entrepreneur, you will have to be a tad bit more outgoing than you can afford to be just working the typical 9-5.  You need to focus on personal and professional development.  Many times that involves industry functions, conferences, and educational workshops/training where you will meet or collaborate with like-minded people to further your mission.

I usually attend tax workshops that provide continuing education, and conferences that allow me to meet with entrepreneurs on a similar mission.  One of these conferences is the Financial Bloggers Conference, FinCon for short.  FinCon is a content-rich, dynamic all-things-finance-lover’s party.  Many of the people that have helped me with my debt-free journey attend and it’s always great to meet up in person, learn from them and see what they’re working on.

However, it can be intimidating the first time you attend, and even more so if you’re an introvert.  We don’t like crowds of people, especially where we don’t know anyone personally, and we usually like to hide behind our laptop and watch other people.  Walking up to a random person, sticking out your hand for a handshake and cheerfully introducing yourself causes uncontrollable sweating and high blood pressure.

With that in mind, here are three tips that I used last year to make it through the conference last year and not only survive, but also create new friendships, collaborations, and eventually grow my client base.

BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHO YOU WANT TO MEET AND MEET THEM ONLINE EARLY.

Plan ahead of time!  Introverts for the most part aren’t good at making the first move when it comes to walking up to people and introducing themselves.  Granted, some people are really good at this.  JMoney is one of those outgoing types. Make a list of those people you want to connect with and reach out to them online several weeks in advance.

The reason why?  Take these two scenarios.

Scenario 1:

Introvert: *looks around the ballroom with hundreds of people, plays with name tag lanyard, spots Jeff Rose of goodfinancialcents.com*  Thinks: Hey, that’s Jeff Rose!  Looks taller in person.  One of my favorite bloggers! *glances back down at laptop and types furiously*

True story, don’t laugh at me.

Conversation 2:

Introvert: *walks up to person she recognizes from multiple Twitter/Instagram/Periscope conversations*  Hi, XXX, I’m (insert Twitter handle) from Twitter/Instagram/Periscope

Attendee: Oh, heeeeyyyyyy, how are you?!?!  *hearty handshake, introduces introvert to others nearby, conversation ensues*.

Totally less awkward.

It’s easier to say “Hi, I’m such-and-such from Twitter” because you’ve already had meaningful conversation and  already know each other.  So you’re technically not a total stranger.  Examples of how I used this: connected on Twitter with 1)other tax pros, 2)other Houston bloggers, 3)coupon and finance bloggers who I have followed for years.

For this to work for you, STAY CONNECTED and be sure to follow the conference hashtag on all social media accounts.  It will make it easy for you to know who will be attending.  Reach out and let them know you are looking forward to meeting at said conference.  Ask them what they’re working on, and show genuine interest in their projects.

SIGN UP FOR SMALLER MEETUPS AND EVENTS BEING HELD DURING THE CONFERENCE.

Before last year’s FinCon, I made sure to follow the Facebook group set up for attendees.  I found that meetups could happen at any time before, during, or after the event and that staying connected on social media keeps you informed when these events occur.  Because of a random meetup organized by keynote speaker Chris Ducker, a new blogger like me who wouldn’t have even walked up to him at the conference was able to sit down and get some great one-on-one advice from him.  In a group of less than 10, I was able to connect also with Vernon Ross, who is now a mentor as well as other bloggers at various stages in their careers.

Many introverts do better in smaller groups.  It obviously doesn’t take as much mental energy to sit down and share a meal with a small group of 10 entrepreneurs as it does with a room full of 100 of them.  I felt less intimidated at the smaller gatherings and random hangouts then when all attendees are in one place.  So be sure to sign up for those as they occur.  They definitely helped me make long-lasting, valuable connections.

KEEP A LIST OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU MEET AND REACH OUT TO THEM ONLINE.

Just as the first tip was to meet people online so that you can connect with them offline (at the conference), the third tip is to note people you don’t know offline (at the conference) so that you can connect with them online after the conference.  For everyone I met during the conference that I didn’t know previously, I asked for their website information so that I can follow their blog.  This helps me to remember them and what we talked about, as well as continue our conversation after the conference is over.  Contacting them within a week or two also helps them remember you because they are meeting a lot of people and will need you to refresh their memory.  Following up is imperative!

Aim to attend at least 3 major conferences per year.  If you’re teachable, the relationships you establish will help you sharpen your skills.  If escaping the 9-5 and growing your own business is important enough to you, you will go learn to overcome the tendency to keep to yourself.  When you do, you will meet people you can collaborate with, receive referrals from, and bounce ideas off.  There is no substitute for getting out of your comfort zone, no matter how shy or introverted you feel.

Photo: Eli Defaria