4. Follow up within 24 hours and be clear about why you’re contacting them.
Don’t wait too long to follow up. I usually follow up the night of the event or at the latest by the next morning. Quick follow up communicates to people that you value them and their time. During follow up, make sure to keep it brief and concise (three to four sentences max) and be clear about why you’re contacting them. Take advantage of the email subject and insert a unique phrase or word that may have been used during the conversation. This will help spark their memory of the conversation and you! If time permits, send a more memorable follow up like a handwritten note or even a video message. Creating something worth talking about goes a long way.
5. Set a reminder for a second follow up or introduction to someone else.
I usually set a reminder in my calendar to do a second follow up with individuals that I’d like to connect with and further support through my network. During the second follow up, I usually try to connect my new friend or contact with another great person in my network that may add value to their endeavors. For me, it’s not just about building my network, but also about building the network of my friends. I’ve found over the years that many new friendships I build often professionally benefit others that I already know. It’s deeply satisfying to connect good people to one another. In fact, I go into networking events not only for myself, but also for my network. What are some things that you think about or do before, during and after networking events?
