Attending a social networking event pre-pandemic was completely normal. However, if we think about the events themselves, weren’t they a little abnormal? Strangers would attend an event with the intent to meet new people and make new connections. The event would last a couple of hours and the goal was to give away as many business cards as you possibly could. For some, these awkward introductions were made easier by food or liquid courage.

Events like these have been cancelled. Like many areas in our lives with forced changes, networking has also made radical changes over the past few months. I am now building a digital network.

There are some interesting differences in building a digital network. I am blindly introducing myself with my LinkedIn profile instead of my business card. I am asking to connect with people who I have never met. The initial conversations happen via messages over the computer. People are reading my introduction and making a choice to respond or ignore my request. In the face-to-face world, being ignored when you introduce yourself would never be an option. The rules are different for engagement when it comes to digital networking.

The one thing that hasn’t been different is the awkwardness of meeting someone new for the first time. Many people are cautious as to why someone they don’t really know wants to talk to them. People question the motivation or the purpose behind a connection request. There are many motives for wanting to grow a professional or personal network. A connection may bring new business opportunities, new friends, or inspiration.

I have been overwhelmed by the positive reactions from those who are willing to connect. When speaking with one new friend, I learned that she would have never met me at any of my typical networking events. Her organization never sent people to conferences due to funding constraints. Our paths may have never crossed if I had not started building my digital network.

Not every request has led to a new connection. For those who have rejected my invitation, I understand the hesitation. Time is a valuable resource and no one wants to feel as though their time is being wasted. I personally have never felt that meeting people has been a waste of my time. I treasure every experience.

With the help of my new online community, I have developed a Pros/Cons list of considerations with digital networking.

Pros:

• Endless opportunities to meet people

• Less intimidating initial meeting

• No need to be a social butterfly to be successful

• Networking can be done on your own time

• You decide the most comfortable way to connect

• Easier to keep up with those who don’t live in your region

Cons:

• More challenging to express your personality when it is all digital

• Difficult to sound genuine

• You may get ignored or “ghosted”

I look forward to opening doors that invite people to be a part of my network. Together we can achieve more. I encourage growing a digital network while we figure out the new normal.