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Networking - How to follow up after the event
Spring greetings from sunny (and showery) Cornwall. We have now reached the final newsletter of the series and you can breathe a sigh of relief – you have attended your networking meeting, spoken to a number of people, and feel more confident about attending your next event. Don’t forget to do a little following-up to make sure you are remembered positively: 1. The next day, make it a priority to send an email to each person you met, telling them that you enjoyed meeting them and that you hope they found the event useful. Some people also send promotional material but we find this too much like a hard sell – it implies you view your new contact purely as a potential customer and not a person you are interested in getting to know. 2. Jot down on the back of each card you collected a few words about what you discussed with that person. File them with any other information you picked up in an envelope or file marked with the date and occasion. They can be helpful reminders for follow-ups later. 3. If you think of any information, like a website or an article, which might be useful to someone you met, send it on to them. It shows you are willing to help others without expecting anything in return, something which is always appreciated. Regard networking as an opportunity to build relationships, not to sell your product or service. Many people attend a few networking events and then give up, claiming it does not work. Networking helps to build up your profile in the business community to the point where you are the automatic choice when somebody is interested in the kind of service you provide. That process takes time but repays you in the relationships you build along the way. |
