After the Networking Event: What do I do Now?

You just met some great people that you connected with at a Networking or Hiring Event.   You shared contact information and had wonderful conversations.   Now is the time to put the work in to make those connections work for you.  This is where the real work begins and where most people fall short.  Effective networking follow-up is a skill that if done correctly, can help you achieve your goals.  Here is a list of things you should make a habit of following the event.

1. Make notes, it is great if you could make notes on their business card during the event, but if you didn’t, make sure you do it right when you get home so that the conversation you had is fresh in your memory.  Create a list of actions to implement.

2.Connect with them on LinkedIn.  Send them an invite to connect with a personal note telling them that it was great meeting them at the event and that you enjoyed your conversation.  “Hi Stan, It was a pleasure to meet you at the Hiring event on Thursday. I thought it might be useful if we connected on LinkedIn to stay in touch. Sincerely, Mary. “

3.Google their name.  You never know what else you might find out about them that you might have in common and that you might be able to bring up in a conversation or email.

4.Share content.  If you had a conversation and you discussed a specific challenge or topic they are experiencing, look for an opportunity to find content to share with them that might help them.  Email them the content with a note reminding them of your conversation and how when you read this article it reminded them of their situation. 

5.Follow them on Twitter.  Give them a shout out.  @Mary Great meeting you last night at the Networking Event.

6.Thank the host of the event. Write a thank you email and connect with them on LinkedIn. A great way to reach out to another person who you can network with.

One of the most important rules of following up after an event is, any kind of correspondence you make initially, make sure that you make it all about the person you are contacting.  Relationships are earned and take time.   Where most networkers miss the boat in follow up, especially job seekers, is that they ask for something of the contact that they just made from the start.   Giving first is always a good policy.  This is not the time to ask for something for you.   They will be more likely to engage with you if you share with them something that could help them.  Once you have built a relationship with this contact and you feel like you have added value, now is the time for you to ask for a call to action. You may ask the person if they know of anyone from your target list of organizations to work for, or even better, if they can refer you to a key decision maker.

Networking and Hiring Events are a powerful way to build new relationships and find opportunities, but only if you follow-up effectively and timely.    Make a plan to follow up within 48 hours after your event.  Remind the person where and when you met and try to make the conversation more about them than about you and you will be on your way to building some long standing relationships and getting the most out of a networking event.