Beth Bridges attended and ran more than 2,500 in-person networking events over a 10-year span, in addition to the 300 or so online networking events she’s attended. So how would she characterize the current state of networking?

“Fragmented,” says Bridges, who’s known as The Networking Motivator and is the author of Networking on Purpose: A Five-Part Success Plan to Build a Powerful and Profitable Business Network.

She likens the proliferation of newer options online (Zoom groups, Facebook groups, 1-on-1s and much more) to the evolution of TV from three basic channels to today’s streaming age.

“[Networking] was starting to fragment long before COVID,” she says, “and COVID and the digital options just fragmented it that much more.”

Indeed it’s a new age of networking, and in this episode of Promo Insiders, Bridges details the major changes that have occurred in the last few years. She explains how in-person events have gotten smaller but are still just as effective. And she outlines what not to do when it comes to digital networking; turning your camera on and having good lighting and framing is a start. “You’re not in the Witness Protection Program,” she remarks.

To wrap up, Bridges offers key strategies for someone looking to ramp up their networking, and explains why the universal need to connect with others is still as strong as ever.