Dear Vicki: Networking events feel like a waste of time I can’t afford, should I ditch them?

Engaging with others and sharing ideas opens you to new perspectives and possibilities

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Vicki O'Toole

Q Vicki, I am about to launch a chocolate business, and I’m told that an important way to ­market our product is to attend networking events. The problem is, I dread them. I feel nervous and awkward meeting new people in a professional setting. I ­particularly worry about being snubbed, or about not saying the right thing.

Another problem is that many of these networking events take place in noisy environments, and it’s ­difficult in practical terms to ­introduce yourself and have a conversation with someone you don’t know. On one occasion, I was latched on to by a person who didn’t know anyone else in the room and hung on to me like a limpet all evening, which stopped me from meeting other people.