10 Steps to Ensure Your Networking Contacts Will Be There When You Need Them
By Liz Lynch
You make a great connection at a conference or networking event, but how
comfortable are you reaching out to them later? Do you struggle to come
up with a good reason to call, believing (correctly) that dialing just
to say "hi" isn't enough, at least at this early stage of the
relationship?
A lot of people ask me, "Liz, I have no problems making connections at
the conference, but how do I tap into those contacts when I need them
later?"
To paraphrase a famous quote by Sun Tzu, that "Every battle is won
before it's ever fought," I would say that "All follow up is won before
you ever pick up the phone." What you do BEFORE the follow up will make
the process easy or hard.
Here are 10 steps to make sure your new contacts don't disappear into thin air when you need them:
1) Direct your initial conversation towards meaningful topics. At an
event where you'll both be mingling with lots of other participants, you
have a limited amount of time for conversation. Therefore, don't spend
10 minutes talking about the weather. A little small talk is okay at
first to break the ice, but move quickly to topics that move the
relationship forward (see #2).
2) Ask questions to learn more about their goals and professional
interests. After the initial ice breaker, asking a question about the
conference is a great way to quickly transition the conversation into a
more meaningful direction. Two great examples are: "So, what do you hope
to get out of the conference?" Or, "What was the single most important
takeaway you got from the conference?" Then you can move on to broader
questions about what they do for a living and what their larger goals
are.
3) Establish a reason during the conversation to follow up right after
the conference. It's always easier to make the follow up call or send
the follow up email if you know they're expecting it. So, connect with
something they said during your conversation that could lead you to send
them a recommendation, suggestion, or contact info for someone in your
network.
4) Make sure the reason to follow up is a value-add for them. Look for a
reason to give information that will have value for them, not just
something that benefits you. In other words, unless they specifically
asked for it, promising to email your sales brochure or your resume
doesn't count.
5) Get a business card so you have complete contact info. This is much
better than jotting down just a name and email address on a napkin
because now you'll have several ways to reach them (email, phone, fax,
mail). Even if you never intend to send them a fax, it's good to know
that you have that option.
6) Write notes on the back of YOUR business card. You always hear the
advice to write notes on the back of business cards you receive so that
you can remember something about the people you talk to. But how about
trying the idea in reverse? Writing down some notes about who you are
and what you will follow up about on the back of YOUR card is a great
way to stand out and be remembered.
7) Follow up within 2 business days. If the conference ends on Thursday,
and you'll be traveling all day Friday, it's okay to wait until you're
back in the office on Monday to follow up. However, if you know you
won't be back in the office until later in the week, at least send a
short email within the 2-day time period to say how much you enjoyed
meeting them, and that you'll send the info you promised once you're
back from your travels.
8) Don't ask for too much too soon. Even if you need something at this
very moment, you might hold off asking for it until you've had more back
and forth dialogue and built a deeper connection. It all depends on how
big your "ask" is. If you're looking for the name of a good real estate
agent, that's easy, but if you're looking for an introduction to their
CEO or biggest customer, remember that they're putting their
professional reputations at stake, which they might not feel comfortable
doing for someone they just met for 5 minutes.
9) Keep using value to connect and re-connect. You want to keep proving
yourself as someone who's worth having in their network. Send more
information on areas that are important to them. Offer more help if they
ever need it. And the best thing you can do? Send them customers. Not
tire kickers who will take up their time with informational sessions,
but people who are ready to buy their product or service.
10, When you're ready to ask, be specific and give context. Explain what
you're looking for and why you thought they would be the best person to
help. That shows you've put some deliberate thought into reaching out
to them with this specific request, and they'll be more likely to
respond.
If you subscribe to the philosophy of networking smarter, not harder,
then follow up isn't a numbers game. You don't have to spend time
meeting hundreds of new people every year hoping that a handful of them
will convert into good contacts. By following these 10 simple steps, you
can turn just about any contact you make into a lasting connection.
© 2003-2008, Liz Lynch
Liz Lynch is a business networking expert whose products, programs and
seminars help entrepreneurs and business professionals get clients,
build their business, and reach their goals through networking. If
you're ready to start networking smarter, get your free networking tips
now at http://www.NetworkingExcellence.com
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