Refining Your Networking System

As a follow up to my popular Networking Systems for Success post last month, I want to show you some additional hacks for measuring your effectiveness at networking and follow up.

First, when you’re networking, as mentioned in Part 1, you want to connect to the people who are interested in your business or you in theirs. This can be easily summarized as “quality over quantity.”  It’s okay to spend 20 minutes talking in depth with one person instead of rushing about meeting as many people as you can.

Several months back I was at an event that was very crowded but with the assistance of the host was able to connect to a few people and had great conversations.  In the middle of one discussion I was passed by a stranger who handed me his business card and walked away.  Rude, right?  Don’t make the same mistake by insisting on papering the event with your cards or collecting as many as possible.  Of course if you don’t have time to really get into conversation, ask for a card so you can follow up.

Second, follow up does not have to mean “begin selling your product or services.”  It’s a little bit like dating sometimes; if you meet someone and ask them to marry you it’s going to sound creepy.  Instead think long term and “date” first by getting to know them better and allowing them to know you. Dating is a process, so start slow and find out areas you have in common by following up after the event.

While it does help to have a good memory when it comes to follow up, I am not known for my short term memory! To compensate I will send myself an email from my phone with the person’s first name, what we were discussing and a quick note on next step.  It’s not unusual to check your phone during an event, and then you’ll have a record for your own notes.

Recognize that reaching out via email doesn’t have to be formal or even overly prepared.  Sure, I use canned responses but the bulk of the message is adapted to be friendly, casual and personable.  Effective systems don’t make others feel like they’re moving through a machine.  We all crave more personal, real connections and as soon as the message seems “canned” I personally tune out.

One prime example of this was a follow up message I got after a networking event referencing a different networking event that I had not attended! Taking time to personalize the message and connect with the person you want in your network is well worth the effort! The time and small cost of a cup of coffee can pay off in unexpected ways down the road.

When it comes to contacting your network the third tip is to give before you request. This will happen more naturally as you grow your network and spend time developing relationships.  Once you know a few fashion design students it becomes easy to connect them to the clothing designer looking for an assistant. Or connect the VA looking for more work to the busy coach who needs to manage her schedule.

Remember, creating systems is all about the results you want to get out of your business.  So here are some sample emails to get your creativity going when it comes to connecting at your next event:

Thanks for the great ideas regarding my business, I’d love to take you out to lunch to hear more about your upcoming projects.

I was intrigued by your business and have some contacts in the industry. Can we talk next week so I can better understand who might benefit from your work or be a strong promotional partner?

Thanks for the information on new marketing tactics for direct mail. It would be great to connect (maybe once a month) over coffee and share resources like this. I’ve got some great ideas and proven tactics for increasing your email open rate that I’d love to share.

I appreciate the offer to connect me to your lawyer, please feel free to use this email or my phone number below to connect.

The trade show you mentioned sounds great and I checked my calendar and can definitely make it that weekend.  I so appreciate your offer to request the booth space from the organizer!

Do you see the trend here? Give and receive and make a specific request and in the instances where you’re waiting on something from the other person (connection to a good lawyer or invite to a trade show) you help by sending a gentle reminder with information that they can use to move forward.

A final tip is this: consistency is more important than getting it right the first time. You may send out many emails and get no response but don’t let that discourage you. We’re all busy and can get easily overwhelmed by email coming in all day long.  Just be consistent, reach out after every event, add people to your CRM software and keep touching base.  If you’re not getting good responses from your efforts, remember to give more.  Give support, resources, connections and give them freely. The more active you are in building a thriving interconnected network the better it will serve you.