Justin, a 50 year-old solopreneur with social anxiety, reached out for advice prior to attending a business education conference. Justin is a computer programmer. He developed a software product to assist math-challenged businesspeople. His worries:
- Feeling self-conscious, making small talk
- Sharing too much information about himself and his product
- What to wear
I pointed out that Justin was focused too much on himself, as if the spotlight was going to be on him. It’s just not the case. I advised Justin to:
- Attend the conference with the mindset of learning more about his market than advertising his product. Ask open ended questions to get others talking, what brought them to the conference? Where do they see gaps in their clients’ efficiency?
- Gravitate to the experts with a list of questions. Prepare a short 15-20 second description of what you do without too much detail. Take notes and collect contact information. Offer your business card with something specific about what you do with a QR code to your website. (Yes, people still like cards!).
- What to wear? Not in my wheelhouse but look at the online photos from last year’s conference to get a sense of what to wear.
Need more help with social anxiety? Contact me at Rebecca@MindfulCommunication.com.
"It takes more than courage to be an Entrepreneur, it takes CORE."