If your goal is to be successful with networking, then your efforts shouldn’t end as you walk out of the networking event. To really reap the benefits of business networking, you should follow a specific plan of action to make sure the contacts you meet turn into trusted business relationships and eventually, business or direct referrals.
Below are 3 things you must do after attending every networking event:
1. Recall conversations using business cards It is a good idea to flip through the cards you just got at an event to recall the conversations you had. Doing this soon after the event will help cement the conversations in your head and help you better remember the folks you spoke with. In addition, it may help to jog your memory of others in your network who may be looking for someone who does what they do. If you haven’t already, try to write down something about each person you met on the back of one of their cards, or in a notepad if they have a two sided card. Nothing impresses folks more than your remembering details about them and their business.
2. Send follow up emails or cards to those you met Emails are great, cards are better. If you take the time to send a warm follow up to every person you met at the event, you can rest assured that YOU will be the one they remember. This simple action can lead to your developing word of mouth almost immediately as most people they meet will never even take the time to follow up. By the way, phone calls are great as well, but by touching base with a card or an email FIRST, you set up the phone call to be even more powerful.
3. Schedule one on one’s with those whom you wish to develop relationships with Now that you have taken the time to follow up with the folks you met, it is time to set some appointments. The key here is, they are NOT sales appointments. If you set up these one on one’s with the purpose of selling them, you might as well just stay in your office. The purpose of these visits is to build the relationship. Continue the conversation you had at the event. Take time to find out even MORE about what it is they do and what is important to them. If you spend your time focusing on them, trust me, they will be asking how they can help you before you know it. If they want to do business with you, you will know it. It IS ok to ask them if they have someone who does what you do to refer their clients to. If they say yes, that is more than ok. If you continue building the relationship properly, the person they have been referring to may not seem like the perfect choice at some point and you may get the nod for some business. No matter what, don’t be pushy and focus on developing the relationship.
By remembering the steps above after each networking event, you can help to make the time you spend meeting others MUCH more valuable. Practice these steps a few times and they will become second nature. You can thank me when the referrals start coming in…
Author Resource:-
Stephen Labuda is an entrepreneur who built his business through networking. You can connect with him through the Boston Networking Group website (http://www.networkedevents.com).
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