One of my clients sent me the message you saw above.

And it’s a great question:

“How do I introduce myself in virtual networking events when I don’t know who I’ll meet?”

Most people think the answer is a polished pitch.

I don’t think so.

The real goal is not to pitch.

The real goal is to create shared ground.

Shared ground creates safety.

Safety creates trust.

Trust opens doors.

Here’s the simple structure I gave her.

1. Start with the shared moment

This makes the intro feel natural rather than forced.

Good:

“Hey, I’m Srushti. Saw you in the DesignOps session. Which part stood out to you?”

Bad:

“I’m a Senior Product Designer with 6 years of experience.”

One is human.

One sounds like a LinkedIn headline.

If the event has a networking tab or attendee list, you can follow up after:

“Hey Maya, noticed you joined the Service Design breakout. I liked the bit on cross-functional workflows. What made you join that session?”

Short. Natural. Zero pitch.

2. Give one tiny identity hook

Just one line that helps them place you.

“I’m a designer who loves simplifying messy workflows.”

or

“I work on making internal tools feel human.”

Think trailer, not movie.

3. Use easy either-or questions

These reduce friction and open people up faster.

“What made you join — the topic or the speaker?”

“You more research-leaning or design-leaning?”

These are easier to answer and spark real conversation.

4. Actively listen

Repeat a small part of what they said.

This signals safety.

“Oh, so it sounds like your team is focused on internal tools right now.”

“That makes sense. Ops complexity is no joke.”

This is the same technique we use in user interviews.

It works because people feel understood.

5. Virtual vs in-person

The approach is the same.

Only the energy shifts.

Virtual needs clarity.

In-person needs warmth.

But the structure doesn’t change.

6. Turn a short chat into a real connection

Relationships don’t deepen during the event.

They deepen in the follow-up.

“This was a fun chat. Want to connect on LinkedIn?”

or

“Happy to continue next week for 10 minutes if you’re open. No pressure.”

Keep it light.

Keep it real.

If you’ve ever felt awkward or unsure in networking moments — whether virtual or in-person — you’re not alone.

What’s one fear or frustration you have about networking?

Reply back to this email and let’s talk through it. :)