Events are a sure-fire way to network and meet potential clients and future connections. But often, staying connected with those we meet at events can be a struggle. Most of us understand the important role networking plays in business, but very few put in place a system for following up with those they met at an event. It can be very easy to drop the ball completely and never follow up at all!
In this article, we’re going to explore why creating a follow-up system (and sticking to it!) will help nurture the relationships built at events and potentially even win business from.
Creating an Effective Follow Up Strategy
Here’s our guide on how to follow up effectively once you’ve met someone at an event:
Step 1: Don’t neglect your note-taking
Whilst they’re fresh in your mind, take down careful notes of who you spoke with and what they mentioned about their priorities and challenges.
Careful noting of their key contact details will make a big difference when it comes to following up with them after the event. Some may prefer an email, others may have said to you that they work from home and are best caught on their mobile. Any chat about their priorities and challenges is gold dust to make note of, these can be hooks especially further down the line when your contact may have forgotten why your original conversation was so relevant for them.
At the time small remarks from your contact may seem insignificant, but when following up with them using these remarks to fuel conversation may make a big difference to how effective you are in building the relationship.
Step 2: Immediately Follow-up
Send a follow-up email the following the day
Staying front and centre of mind means following up with your contact promptly after the event. Two to three days after the event is preferable for your hottest leads and a week for the rest. Leveraging your first conversation with them (referring to your notes!) you can delve further into their goals, challenges, and priorities, finding out more about the contact and their business and how you may be able to help.
Reaching out over phone, email, and possibly LinkedIn gives the contact ample opportunity to respond to you in a way that suits them.
Connect on social media
Finding and connecting with the people you met on LinkedIn is another useful step in building the relationship. If you didn’t already whilst you were at the event, do this promptly afterwards. If appropriate you could even invite them to like your business page. This way you’re less likely to lose touch with them, they’ll be reminded of you every time you post, and see updates on your business.
Be sure to engage with their content when they post, even a simple comment can keep the rapport and relationship fresh!
Step 3: Regular follow ups
After the initial follow-ups, it can be easy to lose contact and lose the rapport you’ve built. Create a routine of following up with those you connected with on a regular basis; this can be as frequently as you deem appropriate, whether that’s every month, every couple of months, or even just a few times a year. Decide an interval you’re comfortable with, but be sure to stick to it!
The key element here is to make sure you don’t let so much time pass that the relationship goes cold and you will need to start from the beginning again. Set follow-up reminders in your calendar or diary once you’ve decided on a time frame and simply drop that person a LinkedIn message, email, or give them a ring and check in with them.
If you don’t reach your contact, don’t forget to ask the receptionist or members of their team for any information which might help you reach the contact or understand what’s going on in their world.
One of the harder parts of follow-up can be if you don’t reach the individual and feel like you’re at a dead end.
If you don’t reach your contact, don’t forget to ask the receptionist or members of their team for any information which might help you reach the contact or understand what’s going on in their world.
Step 4: Follow up and add value
The hardest part of following up after events is often finding a reason for contacting that person without sounding like you’re trying to sell. But there are a few different ways you can follow up in a way that don’t seem pushy or sales-driven; remember, we’re still trying to build and develop the relationship at this stage.
Send a relevant article, blog, or link
One of the simplest and most effective excuses for contacting a person is because you want to share something to them that will help them, like an article, blog post, or book that relates to something you have spoken about previously.
Introduce them to someone
Another effective strategy is to introduce them to someone that may be able to add value to their business or solve a problem you know they have. If the introduction is relevant, this will come across as a genuine interaction and act of kindness, especially when it will help them in their business or career. If they continue to connect, or work together, they will always remember you as the person who introduced them!
Invite them to an event
You’ve already met at an event, so why not attend another one together? It’s important that this event is free for them (asking them to buy a ticket may be seen as pushy/sales-y) so make sure it’s a free event, or offer to cover the cost for them. You’ll score extra points if the event is relevant to their business, or solves a problem you know they’re having (a recruitment event when you know they’ve been having trouble filling a particular role, for example)
Step 5: Keep experimenting and adapting your approach
It’s important to remember that how you interact with each person will be different; what works for one person may not necessarily work for someone else. You’ll need a positive attitude and a resilient approach, but also be prepared to adapt your approach to the needs and wants of each individual to develop the best relationship.
At Fast Track Solutions, we’re a specialist prospecting and lead generation agency that helps businesses like yours find and win new business. We have a range of services we use to bring profitable business to companies across the UK. Find out more about our process, or see how we’ve helped business just like yours.
