I am asked one question all the time: how do you network in Mallorca?
If you are nervous about walking into a room where you don't know anyone, or you simply don't know where to start, you are not the only one. I still get nervous, and I have been doing this for eight years. But networking is how I have built my clientele on the island since day one, so I keep showing up anyway.
I am Adele, a personal branding photographer based in Palma. This is my honest experience of networking in Mallorca as an entrepreneur: what to wear, what to bring, what to say when you run out of words, and how to follow up so the connections you make actually lead somewhere.
Why networking works so well for entrepreneurs in Mallorca
Business here is built on relationships
Mallorca is an island where people recommend people. Whether you are a coach, a therapist, a designer, a consultant or a small business owner, most of the work you receive will come from someone who met you, remembered you and felt at ease sending a friend your way.
That is why showing up in person matters, even in a world where so much happens online. A face-to-face conversation is where trust begins, and trust is what turns a stranger into a client or a recommendation.
Three kinds of networking events in Mallorca
Not all networking events feel the same, so prepare differently for each one:
Mingling one-to-one. You move around the room and introduce yourself to people individually.
Sitting at a table with a smaller group. Conversations are slower and more shared.
Being handed a mic. You are asked to introduce yourself to the whole room.
If you can, find out the format in advance. It changes what you wear, what you bring and what you say.
If you are handed the mic, take a breath
Most people in that room are just as nervous as you are. Have one short pitch ready and practised, so you are not searching for words under pressure.
Then read the room and speak from the heart. A pitch that sounds like you will always be remembered more than one that sounds perfect.
During the event: how to start (and continue) a conversation
What to say when you don't know what to say next
Once you have both introduced yourselves, and you are unsure how to carry on, ask this: what is your favourite thing about being a [their job]?
People love talking about it. It moves the conversation away from small talk and towards what genuinely matters to them, and it tells you a great deal about who they are and how you might help each other.
Wear something bold that still feels like you
Choose a colour or an accessory that stands out, but only if you feel comfortable in it and it feels like you. So many of my conversations began because I complimented someone's outfit, and the other way around.
What you wear is part of your personal brand. It gives people an easy way to approach you and something to remember you by. (I will share a full post on what to wear to a networking event in Mallorca, because there are many layers to it.)
Bring something physical
If you have a physical product, bring it. I always keep a small album in my bag. Most people have no idea what boudoir photography is until I show them, and a photo is worth a thousand words.
Ask yourself what you could carry to a networking event that lets people see, touch or experience what you do.
Be a connector
If I am talking to someone who would be a great match for a person I know in the room, I introduce them right there. Being generous with introductions is one of the best ways to be remembered, and it tends to come back to you.
After the event: how to follow up and stay in touch
Make it easy to connect
Have a way to share your details on the spot. A QR code with all your information works well. Or take their number there and then and send a WhatsApp message straight away: "Hi, it's Adele, the photographer."
If you are adding people on Instagram or to your contacts during the evening, take a screenshot as you go. The next day, you can look back, check you have reconnected with everyone and follow up while the conversation is still fresh.
Don't expect to leave with ten clients
Networking is about building long-term, meaningful relationships. Sometimes a year passes between meeting someone and them booking your service. Sometimes they never become a client, but they connect you with someone who does.
The key is patience and consistency. Keep showing up, keep in touch, and let the relationships grow at their own pace.
Be very clear about what you offer and who you serve
This is what makes you easy to remember and easy to recommend. When someone mentions they need help with [whatever it is you do], the people who have met you should immediately think of you.
And this goes both ways: the clearer you are about the people you want to meet, the easier it is for others to help you.
A real pitch you can borrow
The introduction I used at my first networking event as a boudoir photographer
Two years ago, when I began introducing my boudoir photography alongside my personal branding work, this is the pitch I used:
"I'm Adele Odette, personal branding & boudoir photographer. At the core of my work is helping women be visible: in business through images that build real confidence, and in their own skin and sensuality through boudoir."
It is short, it says who I help and how, and it sounds like me. Yours should do the same.
Quick answers about networking in Mallorca
Where can I find networking events in Mallorca?
There are regular business and entrepreneur networking events across the island, particularly in Palma. I share the ones I find most interesting on my Instagram, so you can start with those.
How do I network if I am shy or nervous?
Prepare one short introduction, ask people about their favourite part of their work, and remember that most people in the room feel the same way. Nerves do not disappear, but they do get easier to carry.
Does my personal brand matter when networking?
Yes. People will look you up after meeting you, usually on Instagram or your website. Photos that look like you and show what you do help them remember you and recommend you. This is the work I do as a personal branding photographer in Mallorca, helping entrepreneurs be visible with images that feel real.
Ready to go to your first networking event in Mallorca?
Start small, and start with one tip
You do not need to do everything at once. Pick one tip from this guide, whether that is the question, the outfit or the follow-up message, and try it at your next event.
If you would like to know about upcoming networking events in Mallorca, follow me on Instagram, where I share the ones I think are worth your time.
