{"id":120002,"date":"2019-12-04T14:30:06","date_gmt":"2019-12-04T21:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/?p=120002"},"modified":"2026-11-02T16:24:44","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T23:24:44","slug":"how-to-network-like-a-pro-even-if-youre-an-introvert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-to-network-like-a-pro-even-if-youre-an-introvert","title":{"rendered":"How to Network Like a Pro (Even If You&#8217;re an Introvert!)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n      <iframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/playlist.megaphone.fm?e=BIGPOC9189535098&#038;light=false\" width=\"100%\"><\/iframe>  \n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Networking. We all know it\u2019s important. But we also know that it can cause a lot of mental anguish. Deep down inside, we all know it\u2019s like a first date. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But actually it\u2019s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">worse<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than that. It\u2019s a blind date! So, not only do you get the sweaty palms, dry mouth, and heart palpitations&#8230; you also have a million questions going through your head. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Will they like me? Are they going to be cool? Did I trim my nose hair? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Well, I\u2019m here to help you out\u2014even if you\u2019re an introvert like me! So, let\u2019s get into the benefits of networking, different ways to network, and some tips to get it done the right way.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>The Benefits of Networking<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you like it or not, real estate is a team sport. It is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">impossible<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to take down a deal by yourself. IMPOSSIBLE. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look at all the people involved in a typical transaction:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seller<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buyer<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Real estate agent 1<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Real estate agent 2<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Title company<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Home inspector<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lender<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Attorney<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And there are potentially more people involved. Contractors, partners, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/ultimate-beginners-guide-real-estate-wholesaling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">wholesalers<\/a>, CPAs, property managers&#8230; the list goes on and on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, let\u2019s go over a few of the benefits of networking.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Benefit #1: Building a Team<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you get your core team together, you won\u2019t have to find those people again! When I first started out as an agent, I didn\u2019t have a network of people to refer clients to\u2014but that changed. Within a short period of time, I had all my go-to problem solvers to help my clients get what they wanted. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, it\u2019s always good to have a backup plan, just in case one of those partners exits the business or you have to part ways for other reasons.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-120124\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/networking-build-a-team.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"702\" height=\"336\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/networking-build-a-team.jpg 702w, https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/networking-build-a-team-300x144.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 702px) 100vw, 702px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Benefit #2: Meeting New People<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You get to meet new people while networking! This may seem obvious, but if you\u2019re not growing your network, then your network might be at a plateau\u2014or worse, dying. I\u2019ve been fortunate enough to make friends, meet new partners, and get more deals done because of this. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This leads me to the next benefit.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Benefit #3: Developing Partnerships<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I honestly wouldn\u2019t be where I am today without partnerships. I wouldn\u2019t have tackled that first deal without a good partner. I wouldn\u2019t have been able to flip any of the <a href=\"\/renewsblog\/2014\/01\/07\/flipping-houses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">houses I\u2019ve flipped<\/a> without money partners or purchase a <a href=\"\/renewsblog\/2013\/05\/15\/commercial-real-estate-investing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">20-unit apartment building<\/a> without a good commercial lender partner.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Benefit #4: Gaining Knowledge<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Networking presents the opportunity to hang around smart people. It\u2019s been said that you\u2019re the average of the five people you hang around the most. If that\u2019s the case, I\u2019m not opposed to hanging around with some smart people that are insanely creative, hard working, and have the same mindset\u2014to get deals done (which just happens to be my next point)!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Benefit #5: Getting Deals Done<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Networking helps you get deals done. At our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/forums\/521-events-and-happenings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">local meetup,<\/a> even though there are not a ton of people there, everyone is helping each other get deals done. Help might come in the form of money, property management, selling properties, etc. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re a real estate investor, this is pretty important, right?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Benefit #6: Building Credibility<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you regularly network and attend meetups, you get almost instant credibility. The key word here is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">regularly<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If you treat it as a one-off, people won\u2019t take you too seriously (or even remember you).&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Benefit #7: Garnering Support<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And finally, you get support. While I\u2019m not going to compare real estate meetups to AA or a group counseling session, at times it can be a relief to hear other people\u2019s struggles and offer help and support where needed. Everyone has a real estate horror story\u2014it\u2019s hard to go a week without hearing one. Networking offers the opportunity to help other investors learn from your mistakes and you from theirs.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Networking Resources<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a myriad of ways to network nowadays (thank you internet!), so let\u2019s take a look at some of the most effective.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-120125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/meetups-group.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"702\" height=\"336\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/meetups-group.jpg 702w, https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/meetups-group-300x144.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 702px) 100vw, 702px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Meetups<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In my humble opinion, real estate investing meetups are the single best way to network. Makes sense, right? There are a few ways to go about finding one, if you haven\u2019t already.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>BiggerPockets<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the nav bar at the top of the BiggerPockets site, is a tab titled \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/build-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Network<\/a>.\u201d Click on that, and then click on \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/forums\/521-events-and-happenings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Events<\/a>.\u201d You can browse for meetups near you easily!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em><strong>Pro Tip: <\/strong><\/em>If there aren\u2019t any in your area or if you don\u2019t like the ones near you, START YOUR OWN! This is what I did a few years ago. The local meetups were kind of far away, so I started one where I lived. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You do need a Pro Membership to post events on BiggerPockets, and I highly recommend you get one (there are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/membership-types\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">tons of other benefits<\/a>, as well)! Plus, if you are the host\/creator of a meetup, people will look to you as the \u201cexpert.\u201d It\u2019s good for business!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Related: <\/em><\/strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/real-estate-investing-start-meetup-locally\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How to Start a Local Real Estate Investor Meetup (&amp; Why You Definitely Should!)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Meetup.com<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meetup.com is a great way to find local real estate meetups, as well. Most of the time, you\u2019ll find the local REIAs (Real Estate Investing Associations) posting there.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Conferences<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s not too hard to find real estate investing conferences online. A quick Google search will reveal quite a few. Of course, these are more expensive, but they can be worth it depending on what you\u2019re looking to get out of it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Social Media<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media has made it easier and quicker than ever to find what we\u2019re looking for in a particular niche. You can search hashtags on Instagram and Twitter, contribute to Facebook Groups, and so much more. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Real estate investing influencers are easier to connect with than you think. They\u2019re just a DM (aka direct message) away.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>SOI (Sphere of Influence)<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have a phone (please tell me you have one), you probably have some contacts saved. Reach out with a call or text to everyone in your phone and tell them about your real estate investing. Ask if there\u2019s anyone you should connect with. They might have the world\u2019s greatest contractor or a &#8220;Daddy&#8221; Warbucks saved to their \u201cFavorites\u201d and be willing to share their diamond in the rough with you.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>How to Network Effectively<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few tips I\u2019ve learned over the years when it comes to networking like a pro.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Listen<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re interacting with a group or an individual, this is probably the most important thing you can do. People need to be heard, and you can learn a lot from listening (and keeping your mouth shut!).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-120126\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/listening-skills.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"702\" height=\"336\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/listening-skills.jpg 702w, https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/listening-skills-300x144.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 702px) 100vw, 702px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Share<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually there is a component in networking groups where you share your name, story, etc. so people can learn a little bit about you. Be honest! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re a first time investor, say that. If you\u2019re experienced, let the group know what you\u2019ve done.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Handshake &amp; Eye Contact<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OK, kind of old school advice here, but when you\u2019re meeting someone for the first time, look them in the eyes and give them a firm handshake (and smile). Sound advice from the past, my friends. No one wants to network with someone who\u2019s looking at their shoes and gives the \u201cdead fish\u201d handshake.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Related: <\/em><\/strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-to-establish-large-meaningful-network\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">8 Ways to Establish a Large and Meaningful Network<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Be Friendly<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Again, this is kind of self-explanatory, but people would prefer to work with people who are friendly. Smile, be interested in what they have to say, and ask a lot of questions. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People love to tell their story. They just need someone to listen.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Business Cards (Yay or Nay?)<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many business cards from other people do you currently have? Oh, none you say? Biz cards are a little pass\u00e9 in my opinion. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, ask them on the spot for their number or email address. Better yet, hand them your phone and tell them to put their info in. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alternatively, ask them what their preferred social media channel is. Connect with them where <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">they<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like to connect.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Listen<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oh, I said this already? Well, that\u2019s because it\u2019s so <\/span><b>IMPORTANT<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. People have a desperate need to be heard.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>&nbsp;A Special Note to Introverts<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As I like to say, \u201cIntroverts are people, too.\u201d You may feel like networking is impossible\u2014or at best, painful. It doesn\u2019t have to be! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019ve actually learned to enjoy it. Here are a few tips for the less gregarious crowd.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-106163\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/breathe-sign.jpg\" alt=\"low-stress, reduce stress, landlord, landlording, rental property, tenants\" width=\"702\" height=\"336\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/breathe-sign.jpg 702w, https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/breathe-sign-300x144.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 702px) 100vw, 702px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Take a Deep Breath<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s going to be OK. No one is going to ridicule you, make fun of you, or laugh you out of the meeting. It\u2019s just some like-minded people getting together to talk about what they\u2019re interested in. No big deal!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Your Superpower<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Introverts tend to be better listeners and, like I mentioned above, listening is vitally important to networking. Use your superpower!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>You Have Something to Offer<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you\u2019ve never done a deal before, you\u2019ve got something to offer when it comes to networking. Maybe you\u2019re good at marketing, or social media, or are excellent with numbers. You have a skill or interest that others can tap into. Offer it up!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Don\u2019t Do Anything Hard!<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is something my grandpa used to say (tongue in cheek), implying that anything worth doing is going to take some effort. Networking does take some effort, but it is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">well<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> worth it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>If I Can Do It\u2026<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And finally, if I can do it, then you can <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">definitely<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> do it. I\u2019m a pretty big introvert, and like I said, I\u2019ve come to enjoy networking. You can, too.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Ready, Set, Go!<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, get out there, guys and gals, and find your next networking event. Put it in your calendar, and network like a pro. You won\u2019t regret it!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/webinars\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-91217\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/blog_ads-01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"85\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/blog_ads-01.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/blog_ads-01-300x36.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Do you have any other networking tips to add to this list? Have you encountered any issues you need help overcoming in terms of networking?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Let&#8217;s talk in the comment section below.<\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Real estate investing is a team sport. Growing your network is vital to growing your business. If you&#8217;re scared of networking, or don&#8217;t really know how to even get started, then this article will show you the benefits of networking, different ways to network, and some tips to get it done the right way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":110702,"featured_media":138447,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-120002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-personal-development"],"acf":[],"comment_count":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/110702"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=120002"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120002\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":190194,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120002\/revisions\/190194"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/138447"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=120002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=120002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}