Advice from an Introvert at Cannes
By Angela Thakur
Hi! My name is Angela and I’m not a people person. Though people laugh in my face when I tell them this, it’s the God’s honest truth: meeting new people makes me anxious. Unfortunately, in my line of work, meeting new people (read: clients, suppliers, partner agencies, super cool industry leaders who you idolize) comes with the territory which means I don’t have a choice but to do it. And somewhat fortunately, I don’t have a choice but to do it which means I’ve developed tips and tricks for getting through. Here’s an introvert’s guide to networking.
- Have an outgoing buddy. She’ll take care of the opening and you jump in when you feel comfortable.
One of the members of the Philippine delegation was exceedingly social and I told her that I’m not too social so we worked out a strategy where she would go up to strangers and start speaking to them then introduce me after a couple of minutes so I felt more at ease.
- Watch out for people who are alone or in small groups standing around
Since they aren’t in the middle of a deep conversation, they will be more receptive to new people and since they are in a smaller group it will be less nerve-racking for you.
- Have a standard opener. It’s easier to go up to someone if you don’t have to think of what to say.
Since Cannes is an international event, I like to open with a basic, “so where are you guys from?” My love for travel allows me to have a genuine conversation about their country, thereafter. Play around with a couple of openers and see what gets people talking without fail.
- Bring business cards. Hand them out like candy!
Cannes is a melting pot of incredible talent from various industries. You can make really cool friends and potential business connections without even trying. But just to make things easier, grab a stack of business cards when you head out the door in the morning and hand them out to every person you spend more than 5 minutes talking to.
- Remember why you are networking
I’m a strategic planner. I network, for the most part, so I can learn about people and about different cultures. It helps me be better at my job. I’m not trying to make a new best friend! With this goal in mind, it’s easy for me to keep the conversation going and it’s easier when I “strike out”. So if you are networking to convert this stranger into a client, talk about who your clients are and the challenges you have faced. If you are networking because it’s a chance at an international posting, ask about what work is like in that country, and talk about your ambitions.
Bonus: I actually like to tell people that I’m an introvert and I’m not good at talking to new people because
- They then tell me how comfortable they feel talking to me, which makes me feel comfortable.
- That ease they feel talking to me turns into rapport.
- They start introducing me to people to help me out, which makes it easier to network. ADVT
Angela is a senior strategic planner at Y&R Philippines. Her key accounts include Inbisco and Sun Cellular. Travel is one of her only vices, she does yoga for anger management and she falls in love with every dog she meets. You can contact her at [email protected] or +639989986149
