How to Follow-up After a Networking Event
The follow-up is as important as the actual networking itself. When you make a good connection with someone, make it a habit as soon as possible after the event to send a note or message saying how much you enjoyed meeting that person. If it is appropriate, you could forward to them an article or piece of information that they might find useful. If you are building a mailing list, as you should be, do not add them to it without their permission.
Remember that networking is not a one-off event – it is a process. Always take the time to develop a relationship with people who interest you. A great strategy is to invite your contact to a one-to-one meeting so you can get to know them better.
Don’t be afraid to be proactive. Most business owners are looking for effective connections. Be assertive and step boldly into their world!
Use Social Media
The follow-up should always involve social media. Gone are the days when you could just do everything by telephone and notepaper! During the meeting or immediately afterwards, connect online with the people you have met in person and stay in regular touch via the social media platforms of your choice. If you do not have a social media presence – get one quickly! This is essential in business today. Then you can continue your conversation after the networking event!
Raise Your profile – Get involved
It is generally true in anything that the more you get involved in something, the more you will get out of it. This is so true of networking. It’s a people business so “Get involved”! If you are offered the opportunity to take up a speaker’s slot at a networking meeting, don’t hesitate – take it! It might be a bit scary at first but “feel the fear and do it anyway”. It will be worth it, and it could lead to you being offered a leadership role in the organising team. This will give you a very visible profile in the meeting and the benefits that will flow from this in terms of credibility, status and standing within the group will quickly become self-evident.
Audit Yourself
As a networker, are you getting the results you expected? If not, you need to re-evaluate your strategy and find out why. Are you going to the correct events? Are you making your presence felt at the events? Is your business pitch working for you? Remember that the old saying is true – time is money! And if your networking is not getting the results you need, you need to find out why. If this is proving difficult, a possible solution is to ask a more experienced networker for some tips and advice.
Did You Enjoy Yourself?
This is as important as anything we have previously talked about. If you do not enjoy something, it will become a chore and you will not easily be able to hide your true feelings. Nothing prevents successful business development more than the wrong attitude. Enjoy the networking meetings but if you find you are not enjoying them – do an audit on yourself and discover why.