Post No.: 0961
Furrywisepuppy says:
Once you’ve met new people and gathered many business cards – this is when networking really begins. Now is the art of following up…
Talking about following up – this post follows on from Post No.: 0917.
Firstly though, immediately after a networking event, take a moment to record on the backs of the business cards (or makeshift ones if you didn’t get one from someone) where and when you met the person, what your purpose in exchanging the card was, what you could do for them and what they could do for you today or in the future, any promises made, and other noteworthy information like interesting or personal facts about them, how they looked, their plans and anything else you know about them.
Once at home, have an organised system for recording your contacts and all of their details electronically – this makes searching much easier. Get in the habit of inputting any updates every night, on the night. Out-of-date information is almost useless so periodically check wherever you can for any updates. Sync these contact details to your mobile phone – various contacts apps are available for this purpose.
Include information like their name, position and company, contact details, date met and where, conversations, any follow-ups promised, your last communication with them, connections (other people/groups who link to them in your network or other people you want to meet who link to that person), hobbies, personal notes and other potentially useful information. Keep a note of their birthdays and other key dates on a calendar app so that you can make them count.
Online social media platforms are useful, if not essential – but do keep an offline database too, as well as your physical business cards with notes on, as back-ups. And back this database up regularly.
Listen attentively during conversations for points of interest that are meaningful to the person but might not be directly related to their work. These make following up a lot more personal and add huge impact. Find out what’s important to this person, continually update this knowledge and be sure to connect and send them best wishes on any special occasions. Remember that networking is about building long-term relationships – by being attentive, you demonstrate that the relationship matters.
If you didn’t capture any contact details from someone you wanted to follow up then ask the host whilst thanking them for a wonderful event. If the host is unwilling to give you these details then give the host your details to pass onto the person you wish to contact. If that also fails then search online with what information you know – you can even guess their email address if you know their company and email address format. The key is not giving up!
When following up – email the person within 24 hours of meeting them, attaching a synopsis or profile and possibly a photograph of yourself, referring to the event and date you both met. Provide some context to the follow-up, even if just to say it was a pleasure to meet them, thanking them for their time/advice, offering them something that may benefit them, letting them know they can feel free to contact you at any time, wishing them well and hoping to meet them again in the future. (Never use the ‘cc’ facility here – use ‘bcc’ or better still is to individually send these emails.) Never underestimate the value of following up – it shows respect, continuity and helps you get remembered at a future date.
If you wish to phone the contact but you can only reach their fuzzy voicemail – leave a clear message with your name, when you both met, a return number and when they can best reach you (to avoid phone tag).
The best way to reconnect is to send information that you think the other person will find valuable based on your last conversation with them. It could be something simple like forwarding an article they might be interested in. The key at this stage is to send it while asking for nothing in return.
A vital way of following up is to connect them with other members of your own network who might be valuable to them (but first be sure that these members are happy to have their email addresses shared). Give regularly when you don’t need anything. Constantly look to see how you can assist your network and offer help. This is for building up for the time you’ll possibly need something from them.
You could send one of your company brochures. If sending something physical, include a handwritten message to convey a personal touch.
If someone doesn’t reply – as a general rule, send no more than two reminders over a period of a few weeks to check if they’ve received your communication since email addresses can change (so check these are still current). If the silence remains then don’t increase the intensity of communications. Instead wait half a year then try again. Be courteous.
If the person is a strong lead then you must go out for a coffee or even lunch with them if the time and distance are suitable. Online exchanges are limited for building trust or a business relationship alone. Physical business cards, handwritten messages and physical meet-ups still have their place today despite the proliferation of digital media and communications.
Establish regular contact times, especially with your most critical business contacts, so that they’re expected and almost already scheduled. Set up reminders for these.
Send everyone in your contacts list a greetings card to ensure they have you and your company at the forefront of their minds should a business opportunity arise. By keeping in touch occasionally even if nothing happens for a few years, something might suddenly happen and give you a breakthrough!
Networking is about being proactive – you’ve got to make the effort and go out and engage with strangers, then keep in touch with them. You’ve got to aim to be the hub that holds together your community of great hearts and minds.
Join some existing networks, forums and chat rooms based on your interests and needs, both online and offline. Save yourself time whenever you can – if you can find out if something is going to potentially bring you closer to your goals then find out before joining or attending. Ask people who may know for their recommendations of networks to join, or look in industry publications, subscribe to newsletters or ask the professional bodies in your sector. Join organisations, clubs and societies with thought-leaders in your field of interest.
Use social media to connect with wider networks. LinkedIn is the main online social network for professional networking – join it to stay in contact with business partners/colleagues, to hire people and to ask for and show expertise.
You could volunteer to speak at conferences and events by contacting organisers in advance to let them know you are available to speak on your topic. Most networking organisations and professional bodies have an organising committee – volunteer to contribute to that committee. Check feedback and make suggestions regarding events. ‘Speed networking’ (like speed dating) is also a thing. You could even contact local newspapers, councillors or MPs to ask if they have personal networks of people whom they can write to, to see if they know anyone who may be interested in helping your cause. Obviously network within your own organisation. Start your own network if there’s no existing group that completely fits your needs. Write a blog on your specialist subject. Try to author articles for industry publications.
Sometimes you’ll need to make a ‘30-second elevator pitch’ when selling your vision to others. State your name, business and credentials (without sounding boastful, you might need to establish your credibility first before people will really listen to you). Keep to the point and convey your message within 3 main points, each with examples. Summarise your message, explain your call-to-action, then thank your audience for listening. Tailoring the benefits specifically for the present audience being addressed will make it even more effective. People have short attention spans so you’ll need to speak to their interests directly and answer ‘what’s in it for them?’
Provide a link on your website to subscribe to your email newsletter if you have one. Weekly/monthly newsletters are a low-cost way to share information with your network, but they must be opt-in and recipients must have a way to opt-out of them, both very easily.
It’s common to offer something enticing in exchange for their email address, like a ‘top ten tips for…’ or discount codes for your products.
People only scan newsletters so use multiple headers and bullet points with short sentences or excerpts, with links to further information on your website. Provide only information that’s useful and relevant to clients. What issues affect and interest your customers? What’s the cutting edge news in their fields? They want substance, not press releases or promotional material unless they specifically agreed to receive advertising.
Allow your readers some way to interact through feedback or sharing their stories. If the author of a comment grants their permission – display some of these messages in future newsletters to show it’s a dialogue, not monologue.
E-brochures tend to be one-off, not regular like newsletters. These are essentially sales brochures so include more information. Ensure it has a clear call-to-action and displays your contact details prominently. Testimonials from past clients are also extremely valuable.
Once you’ve sent an e-brochure to a contact – follow up on it. A one-off courtesy call will look professional. But then leave it up to them to take it further only if they wish to.
Whenever pitching your business generally – speak about your website. Consider including a line at the bottom of every email you send that links to your website.
Encourage your readers to forward your newsletters to any of their friends (viral marketing is trusted because it gets passed on from those whom the recipient trusts), possibly with an incentive to do so. Reach out to groups or industry organisations that you think might want to make your newsletter available to others.
If you offer discount vouchers for referrals that convert into customers – ensure you track whom and where the referral came from. This allows you to track the effectiveness of your networking strategies. Use tracking tools for your website and newsletter.
Don’t put your personal email address or phone number on your website unless you’re prepared to take calls at all times! If you know you cannot reply to all messages then clarify how communications will be handled. Likewise, if you cannot attend regular network meetings then be upfront with the organisers. Try not to bite off more than you can chew (a classic doggy mistake!) If you have a team, delegate some responsibility for maintaining network contact. As you grow your network, you must devise a clear communication strategy for keeping in touch otherwise you’ll get bogged down, care will slip, the network will collapse and you’ll lose trust. If you make a promise – deliver it!
Network fatigue can creep up when your network grows large. So bi-annually review the time/cost-effectiveness of all your networking avenues, both face-to-face and online. Be ruthless and cut your losses if any membership hasn’t been worth the returns in benefits and progression towards your objectives. Your time and resources will be better spent elsewhere.
And don’t forget to spend time on yourself, your family and other life goals too! Be mindful if you ever detour into doing things just for the sake of doing them. Never turn into a social network slave who ends up looking at people as numbers and regards image as everything. Know what you want it to do for you and never lose sight of your overall business objectives, and true friendships.
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