Networking Follow-Up Tips

Entrepreneurship Week was a blast. You went to all the events and met a ton of new people. You want them involved in your business, either as clients, suppliers or mentors. How do you turn those amazing strangers into trusted contacts?

Smart follow-up begins at the event itself. When you get someone’s business card, jot down a few notes to help you remember the situation. It’s also a good idea to ask how they’d like to be contacted. Nothing is worse than losing a potential customer by bugging them.

If you didn’t ask about follow-up, no worries. A brief call or email doesn’t have to be a bother. Just make sure contact is made soon after the meeting—within two days usually works best. You want to keep your business in their mind, so don’t let them forget who you are before you reach out.

Keep your message short and sweet. Be sure to mention some detail of the conversation you had. No one wants an impersonal letter. It feels too mechanical, and your potential customer will feel like he or she is just another email address to you. If possible, answer a question that came up in your conversation, include a link to an article you mentioned or even introduce this person to someone who might be able to help them. In networking, it’s all about giving. This establishes trust and rapport. Especially in your first follow-up, don’t ask for anything. Keep it light, friendly and helpful.

After that, wait and see. Chances are, your networking connection will write back with enthusiasm. Feel it out from there. If it seems like a good idea, suggest a sit-down meeting. Even if your contact doesn’t sound terribly thrilled to hear from you, or if they don’t write back at all, don’t worry. Persistence in business is key. Try again after a month has passed. It can take months, or even years, to cement a sale. If you keep at it, your contact will know that you’re serious and dedicated to your business and your network.

Any networking tips you’d like to share? Stories from Entrepreneurship Week? Leave them in the comments below. And thanks for coming out last week. We’d loved seeing you out there.