What Do I Say in Networking Conversations

Many professionals quietly carry the same question into networking situations:

“What do I actually say?”

Not because they lack expertise.

But because they want to sound clear, confident, and strategic — not vague, not salesy, and not overly rehearsed.

The moment comes.

Someone asks:

“So… what do you do?”

And suddenly the mind races.

What do I say?

Do I explain everything?

Do I summarise quickly?

Do I talk about my services, my experience, or my clients?

For many people, this moment creates more hesitation than confidence.

Yet the way you answer this question often determines whether a conversation leads anywhere at all.

 

Why Networking Introductions Often Feel Awkward

The problem is rarely a lack of expertise.

It’s usually a lack of clarity in positioning.

Many coaches, consultants & experts try to fit too much into their introduction:

• Every service they offer
• Every type of client they help
• Every industry they’ve worked in

The result?

A long explanation that sounds impressive — but has listeners ‘switch off’ listening.

And in networking, attention matters.

Because if someone cannot easily repeat what you do, they cannot confidently refer you.

 

The Hidden Goal of a Networking Conversation

Most people assume the goal of networking introductions is to explain their work.

In reality, the goal is much simpler:

To create enough clarity and curiosity that someone wants to continue the conversation.

You are not trying to deliver a presentation.

You are opening a door.

A clear introduction does three things:

1. It makes your work easy to understand
2. It signals who you help and how
3. It invites the listener to explore further

This is what allows a conversation to grow naturally.

 

From Explanation to Positioning

When coaches & consultants shift from explaining their work to positioning their expertise, something changes and the question “What do I actually say?” disappears.

Instead of listing services, they frame their work around the outcome they help create.

For example:

Instead of saying:

“I’m a consultant who offers strategy and leadership development.”

They might say:

“I help leadership teams align strategy and communication so their organisations grow without internal friction.”

Both statements describe expertise.

But the second creates clarity and curiosity about the expertise.
It invites the next question.

And that’s where real conversations begin.

 

A Personal Insight About Networking Conversations

When I first started attending networking events many years ago, I remember feeling unsure of myself in exactly this way.

Not because I didn’t know what I did.

But because I wasn’t yet confident about how to say it in a way that felt natural.

Over time, I noticed something interesting.

The professionals who attracted the most interest weren’t necessarily the ones speaking the longest.

They were the ones who spoke clearly, calmly, and with focus.

Their introductions didn’t try to explain everything.

They simply created understanding.

And that understanding made people curious to learn more.

 

The Role of Structured Conversations

One of the challenges in traditional networking environments is that introductions often stand alone.

Everyone shares their thirty seconds… and then the room moves on.

But when introductions are followed by guided discussions, a segment I’ve added into Global Business Networking LIVE Online, something different happens.

As the professionals contribute to a conversation, they naturally reveal:

• Their perspective
• Their expertise
• Their experience
• How they think about their work

This allows others to understand them far more deeply than a single introduction ever could.

Confidence grows.

Trust grows.

And so does recognition.

No more: “What do I actually say?”

 

How Conversations Build Visibility

This is why networking conversations can become one of the most powerful visibility tools available to coaches, consultants & experts.

When people hear you:

• Ask thoughtful questions
• Offer insights
• Share experience
• Contribute meaningfully

…they begin to understand what you bring to the table.

And when opportunities arise later — a collaboration, a referral, a project — they remember you.

Not because you pitched.

But because they experienced your expertise.

And when you use words that matter, even more so.

 

What Clear Networking Conversations Really Achieve

When introductions and conversations are aligned, they do something powerful.

They allow others to quickly understand:

• What you do
• Who you help
• Why your work matters

And that clarity is what transforms conversations into something more.

Collaborations begin.

Opportunities appear.

Clients arrive through trusted connections.

 

A Final Thought

If networking conversations have ever felt uncomfortable or unclear, and you’ve thought: “What do I actually say?” – the issue is rarely your capability.

More often, it’s simply a matter of how your expertise is expressed in those first moments of conversation.

When introductions are clear and conversations are intentional, something remarkable happens.

People begin to recognise your value naturally.

And those conversations — repeated over time — become the foundation for collaborations, opportunities and clients.

 

Want to experience what that looks like in practice?

Inside the Global Networking Boardroom, professionals introduce their expertise and participate in guided discussions streamed LIVE into LinkedIn®/and or You Tube.

It’s an environment designed to help conversations reveal expertise — and turn visibility into opportunity.

You’re welcome to join us as a guest and experience it for yourself.

Very quickly will the question “What do I actually say?” be replaced by fun, enthusiasm and satisfaction participating in our discussions!

Register for your Guest Pass below and I’ll see you at the next networking event.

 

Article Written by Sigrid de Kaste, Creator of Global Business Networking LIVE Online and Founder of Stickybeak Marketing