Why we mix up our introductions every month.
Regular networkers will be familiar with the 60 second pitch. For many it’s the scariest part of a meeting and they can’t wait to get theirs over with. They needn’t worry because the chances are most people are not listening!
It’s not that people are being rude. But many of these introductions are basically a sales pitch for something we’re not interested in buying. So we switch off. If we’re regular attenders we’ve probably heard the same pitch delivered on numerous occasions, often word for word. So we switch off. Or maybe we’re too busy worrying about what we’re going to say when it’s our turn. So we switch off.
There is no point in an introduction round unless people are listening. That’s why we ‘ditched the pitch’ at Fabulous Networking a couple of years ago.
That doesn’t mean that we don’t do introductions. We do. But we do them differently each month.
Turning introductions into a valuable tool
Most networking comprises members and regular attendees sometimes with a sprinkling of visitors. Regulars have a reasonable understanding of what the other attendees do. They don’t need to have it repeated at every meeting. What they want is to get a deeper understanding and that’s the aim of our changing introductions.
But our introductions aren’t just valuable to the audience, they are also a useful tool for the person delivering them. Each month they shine a light on a different aspect of our businesses and encourage us to do some thinking. Frequently they lead to discussion at the meetings and some useful ideas for us to ponder.
Introducing our entry point offers
In April 2026 we have been sharing our entry point offers. That has made people think about their ‘product ladders’ in a way some haven’t considered before. For many people the entry point is a free discovery call but some people take advantage of those by using them for free advice. Our conversations have made us think carefully about what we give for free and what should have a price tag.
Developing clarity
One mistake many people make with their introductions is to overload them. They want us to understand everything they offer so they throw it all in. We just get confused.
So, one month every year we cap our introductions at 15 words. It forces us to get to the nub of what we do. It works brilliantly. But it works beyond the meeting. It provides us with a description for our social media profiles. It helps us on those social occasions when someone asks what we do. And it forces us to think what is most important about our business. I shared some further thoughts in this article.
Discovering the person behind the business.
Recently we asked people to share something we didn’t know about them. We didn’t say it had to be personal but for many people it was. We found out who the adrenaline junkies are. We discovered musicians and thespians. We found the creatives and the sports people. We found surprising things in common. It was a great way to connect with our fellow networkers on a different level.
Keeping things interesting and helpful
We’ve shared ambitions and testimonials, challenges and success stories. We’re going to be discussing collaborations and support. We’ll share qualifications and experience as well as the results we deliver for clients.
But we don’t throw people in at the deep end. I learned that many hate that approach. Quite reasonably they want time to prepare, to think about what they want to feature and how best to do that. So, we share each month’s topic on the event booking page, in our newsletters and in our invitation emails. And every month I write or update a blog to support attendees with their planning.
Above all we don’t judge. If someone finds our theme uncomfortable, we don’t force them to use it. They can just use a typical networking introduction. Few do.
The feedback is invariably positive. In some months the introductions take up a significant part of the meeting as the Group Leaders allow them to stimulate conversations. The added benefit is that this keeps the meetings fresh and interesting and that has to be a win.
Don’t let your networking introductions put you into a straitjacket. Changing your introduction at every meeting will increase the chances that your audience will listen. What has been your most successful introduction?
This article was written by Glenda Shawley. Glenda is the Community Lead at Fabulous Networking, a safe, supportive, non-judgmental space for business owners to learn and grow. If you find it’s lonely running a business networking can be a great solution. Why not pay us a visit online or in person and see what support is available?
I was prompted to write this article by an inspirational talk by blog specialist Charlotte Haye of Vivid Copy.
