Much of the advice you receive about networking is about how to make connections at an event. Let’s say that you’ve had a really productive event or trade show where you’ve had great conversations and made some promising connections. Now what’s your next step? How do you cultivate these connections to relationships or opportunities?
What Should You Do After Making a Connection at a Networking Event?
Your Next Steps Matter
Depending on your needs, you might be looking for additional customers or partners for your company. Or maybe you’re looking for a new job opportunity. Either way, your next steps after forging these connections are important. Taking missteps could result in a missed opportunity or even worse, you could come out looking ingenuine or sleazy.
Let’s take a look at how to avoid either of these outcomes so you can make the most of your networking.
Make the Most of Your Networking Contacts
Create & Organize a List
After networking events or other work events, you can create an organized list of your contacts. While some people may say that their social media accounts and email lists are effective at keeping a list, we could all agree that we each have a few too many contacts.
Instead, this list will serve as one that organizes meaningful connections you create and those who can develop into greater professional relationships. Include the following information about each contact:
- Name, email, phone number
- Social media connections (check these off once you make connections)
- Place of employment, job title
- Where you met
- Relationship reason and potential (ex: new customer, sales or business partner)
Do Your Research
Without being too creepy, do your research on your contact. Since you’re probably going to connect with them on social media anyway, check out their profiles. You may find a few interesting facts that help you understand more about them, and even better, you may find similarities in interests, work history, or even education. Any of these interests or similarities can be used when you reach out to your contact.
Follow Up in a Timely Manner
Let a couple of days pass before reaching out. Following up too soon can look like you’re just looking to add to your connections roster on social media or might come across as too eager to seek their assistance. Of course, if your new contact asks for a point of contact right away, oblige, but otherwise, let a little time pass first.
Don’t wait too long, though! If too much time passes, your contact may not be able to remember exactly who you are and why they enjoyed your conversation.
Pro Tip: When reaching out on social media, especially LinkedIn, understand that your invitation to connect must be personalized and must reference the networking event you met at. Too often, people get invitations to connect with people without any personalization or relevance, and they are ignored (as they should be).
Make Yourself Valuable
Networking is most appreciated and successful when both contacts are able to benefit each other. Consider how you might be able to offer your contact something:
- Recommendation
- Sharing a helpful contact of your own
- Expertise
- Helpful information
By being a helpful and reliable networking contact, you set yourself apart from the networking crowd. Don’t look for something in return, especially not right away. When you let the relationship build in an organic way, help will come naturally and probably in a better way than you could have planned.
Find a Job That Supports Your Goals
For help finding a job that supports your career goals and fits your personal life, contact Axiom Staffing Group.
