You might say that networking hasn’t been a fruitful use of your time but you can’t say it’s difficult. It’s easy to meet people, start a conversation, exchange pleasantries, and chat about what you do. It’s easy to exchange cards (or digits).
Where many professionals drop the ball is with follow-up.
You come home with new contacts (or renewed contacts). Now what? What happens next?
Do you call or email? When? What do you say?
That’s simple. No really, it is. You immediately send your new contact an email (or better, a handwritten note), tell them you enjoyed meeting them and note something from your conversation.
Okay, I can do that. I always do that. Then what?
Then you call. You talk to them and ask them to tell you more about what they do. Or you invite them to coffee or lunch so you can have that conversation.
You ask questions and let them do most of the talking. You find out what they need or want (clients, information, ideas, introductions, etc.) and think about how you (or your other contacts) can help them.
At some point, they ask you to tell them more about what you do (and what you need or want). You tell them and explore how the two of you might work together, e.g., referrals, introductions, interviews, guest posts, webinars, etc.
Or not.
Yeah, they might turn out to be a dud.
They may not have anything they can do for you or anything they’re willing to do. There may be no future for the two of you. Or it may take additional meetings and conversations before the two of you are able to dance.
That’s life. That’s why you don’t stop after you meet one new contact. That’s why follow-up isn’t a one-time thing.
The fact is, you might strike out with the next ten people you meet. You might think, “I hate networking” and be ready to give up.
Or, the very next person you meet might lead to a steady stream of new business for you and you’ll say “networking rocks”.
How to get better results when networking with professionals
