STOP Wasting Time at Networking Events--Follow Up Tactics That Work

You've met all these cool people at a trade show, event, company meeting or conference---now what?

Why let all that good will and social capital go to waste?

Spending time with people in person is important, and taking action after your IRL meetings is the real key to victory. If you're going to leave your work from home situation, take a shower, put your chonies on, and be away from your family and/or routine--why not make the most of it after the event? It's important you have a post event follow up strategy that keeps the conversation going.

Below are some of my favorite ways to follow up or be followed up with after meeting someone in person:

---Don't Pitch Slap!--there is nothing worse than getting a long winded boring message on Linkedin that involves a bunch of asks. STOP PITCH SLAPPING PEOPLE in their DMs.

Instead, send a thoughtful-BRIEF-message referencing something personal you discussed with a reasonable call to action. (i.e. coffee date, demo, send info, SWEATworking meet up) It is unreasonable to ask someone you just met to read your 47 page sales kit and buy your product/service/widget right in the email. Remember, you're building a relationship. There are steps to take here. Go through the motions, be patient, build the rapport.

--Share Your Take Aways--This is a timeless way to follow up that you can do 1 week to 6 months after you meet someone or a group of people. Post on your favorite social platform, share in your newsletter or just record a video of your top 3 - 5 take aways from the event. Tag your new besties (in the comments not in the post) and tag the organization that hosted it. This not only gives a "knock knock" remember me moment to the people you just met, it also establishes you as someone in the field who is out there learning and keeping up on trends.

--Send Email with a Good Subject Line--Don't trick your new friend. Don't tell them they won the lottery. Do put something interesting and thought-provoking that is 6 words or less in the subject line. A GREAT resource for this concept and examples of good and bad follow-up emails is the book Digital Pursuasian written by Erin King. In that same email--Be Brief. Be Bright. Be Gone. You don't have to share everything in one email. In fact, make your email so succinct that someone can screenshot it and share in a Slack message if they find it compelling. You're trying to get someone to respond and to continue building a relationship with you. You're not trying to get them to buy the whole enchilada right away.

--Offer Value--In the conversations you had, I am sure a topic was discussed that seemed important to the person on the other end. Send your new friend an article, a post, a pic referencing the conversation or the topic on the table. For example, I was recently at a networking event where we were talking about Italian Citizenship and living in Italy. The salesperson sent me a follow-up note showing me a blog to all things moving to Italy and securing Italian Citizenship. He didn't ask for my business. He didn't send me 3 blogs 5 websites and an 80 page PDF about his business. He sent 1 simple link and said "Reminded me of our conversation. Hope this helps in your quest for retirement life" Of course I want to stay in touch with this guy. He listened. He "gets" me. And he has a service that my clients will love that I am sure I will learn more about very soon.

--Ask Questions--Reference Quotes, Books, Trends, Rituals--Networking isn't always about instant gratification to build your business. Sometimes it's about learning, becoming educated and gathering value points. Take notes on your phone immediately after the event to follow up on these types of things. If a speaker dropped a knowledge nugget, write it down. If you overheard a conversation about a trend, take note. If you observed a process or ritual someone does, mark the moment. These are learning opportunties for you too that will make you better in your personal and professional life. Use the notes app on your phone or a good ole fashioned paper and pen. Take it a step further and share your observations with your new friends after the event.

Example: I heard this hotel company was changing hands, after some investigation, I learned it actually was and I learned the new hotel company taking over. After some fact checking I sent an email to some of my new friends at the event with the subject line: "Hot Off The Presses, I just learned....." and then shared my info and asked if they knew more. This info makes me better for clients and helps me build social capital in my network by giving my new friends valuable info they might not otherwise know. By the way, a subject line using "I just learned.." or "Did You Know.." are great examples of solid follow up email subject lines. So much better than... "great to meet you" or "checking in"

--Send Pics--If you took cool pics of the event, or with your new friends, send them. Send via text, email or a DM. They may not remember you until you send this. This will make you memorable and show the person on the other side that you valued the interaction. If it's a scenic pic or a cool pic of the event, ask them what they thought of that particular moment. This will start a new conversation and you never know where that can go.

--Follow Up Timing After Networking--This varies for me. If it's a small event--50 people or less, I'll follow up within 3 days. I like that to be super timely so we keep the momentum going. If it's a huge trade show with loads of attendees and exhibitors I wait 10 days. You don't want to be a part of the flooding of the inboxes that happen right when you get back from a show. When people just get back from traveling, they are behind in emails and you don't want to be just another email that gets deleted. If you don't have a lead or immediate business with the person, give yourself some space so you stick out in their inbox.

This scratches the surface on only a couple ways I like to follow up after an event. Remember, Networking isn't always about you building your business. Sometimes it's about the person on the other end of the conversation, the future leader that might need your help, or the potential vendor that has a new product or service that could benefit you. Be open in the moment and take action after. Building deep business relationships take time. Dropping crumbs along the way will make one giant cookie in the long run.

What networking follow ups do you love? What networking follow ups did I miss?

Share them with me one of the platforms below:

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More tips like this can be found on my website.

Happy Networking---(and follow up, and call to actions!)

Mandi Graziano is a hospitality expert in the conventions and conference space for over twenty years. Her best selling book Sales Tales has been revered as one of the most impactful & hilariously tactical selling tool out there. She coaching sales teams on how to be more memorable in the marketplace, how to have fun with follow up, shrink the sales cycle and expand their closing ratios. Mandi can be seen weekly on her live show Adventures in Business where she and her co-host Amani Roberts (and best selling author) interview CEOs, Founders and top Thought Leaders about their trips, triumphs, stumbles and successes in business.