Networking follow-up: A MUST
Posted By Amanda Collins on March 16, 2010
Okay, I’ll admit it – I have a (small) stack of business cards on my desk from a networking event I attended a week ago. I still need to go through them and send e-mails to follow up with everyone I met. On the flip side, everyone I met got my card too – and I’ve only heard from two people. I’d say those are very good numbers given my experience in networking. Typically, I don’t get a follow-up from anyone.
Why do you go out to network? I think most people would say it’s to build up a pipeline and create leads. Okay, so if that’s the whole goal, relationship development is at the crux of that effort. To build relationships, you have to initiate a conversation. That conversation ideally should have started at the place where you met, but it needs to continue. Whether you send an e-mail, note card, or call on the phone, some follow-up is required to begin a relationship.
The other thing you can do to continue that conversation is to put those folks’ names in your database and e-mail newsletter, adding them to your drip-marketing campaign. What I do is to send an e-mail with something personal followed by a blurb about me in case they’ve forgotten who I am, followed by a little “disclaimer” saying I’m going to add them to my monthly e-newsletter, and if the content doesn’t resonate, it only takes one click to unsubscribe. Most people never even respond, but many don’t remove themselves from my list either. That means I have plenty of time to connect with them!
So if you’re not following up now, start doing it! It’s why you’re out there anyway, so start leveraging your efforts!
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