On a recent Marketing Smarts podcast, Jill Foster, founder and blogger for LiveYourTalk (and a MarketingProfs B2B Forum keynote speaker), gave tips for introverts heading out to conferences and meetings.

The foundation for her advice was on the importance of listening. Foster said, "Trust begins when demonstrate a capacity to listen."

Fortunately for introverts, listening is one of their greatest gifts. The challenge instead may be how to get into conversations and begin using that gift. When faced with rooms filled with people in various conversations, an introvert may feel the urge to use her smartphone as a shield or just avoid the networking opportunity altogether. Foster, however, has tips on how an introvert can best slip into conversations and begin using the gift of listening.

For example, when approaching a large group of people talking, an introvert should focus on one person then ask that person, "May I join you?" After the introvert has joined the conversation, she can focus on listening and asking questions that spark conversations related to the event. Foster also discussed how to gracefully exit a conversation (sometimes in networking events, a conversation may go on a little too long).

Foster also discussed the importance of making time to re-energize oneself during a conference. Introverts need quiet time to preserve their energy.

To find out how to do that, check out the visual sketchnotes that I took while listening to the Marketing Smarts podcast.