Following Up After A Networking Event

Ahhh The Follow-Up: An important step to networking that seems common to most but is usually neglected after an event has taken place. Following up can be easy and harmless, but how do you get people to respond back?

Following up can be done via email, phone or by simply sending a LinkedIn Connection request. Following up should be done as soon as possible (within 24 hours). This will help both you and your connection stay in touch and start building a relationship that can benefit your long term career goals.

Here are some tips to help you successfully follow up with people after an event.

Remind the person who you are: The first thing you want to do is help the person remember who you are. Was there something specific you talked about that stood out at the event? Try to trigger a memory about your interaction that will help them remember you, chances are they met a ton of people at the event!

Add Value: How can you add value to this person? Its best to offer what you can do for them before asking what they can do for you. Adding value can be as simple as helping them with a proposal or connecting them with someone they otherwise would’ve never met. When you add value to the people you network with, you become indispensable.

Offer to Meet-up: Did someone say coffee?! Offering someone to meet-up with you doesn’t have to be awkward or a business pitch. Just simply meet-up to get to know each other, networking is about making long lasting relationships, so you can skip the sales pitch and get the chance to learn more about each other.

Get Social: Connect on social media! LinkedIn is a great tool to connect with those in your network, not only does it allow you to be accessible to each other but it contains great opportunities for you and your connection in the long run.

Building a successful community of networkers takes time but most importantly it takes initiative to do so. Weather you follow up via email, phone or other means remember these tips to ensure a successful interaction and long lasting relationships.

Happy Networking!