Following up with the people you meet after a conference is the key to lasting value from your participation. Too often we leave an event after the closing sessions, say our good-byes, and turn our attention back to the daily routine of life. The people we met are too quickly forgotten.
As we exit an event we need to create a game plan for how to reach out to those who had an impact on our time at the conference. This dose not mean we need to follow up with everyone we encountered, but instead just a few select contacts that are worth cultivating an ongoing relationship.
Follow up is more than adding them to your database or sending them a LinkedIn invitation. To have meaning, the other person must sense that you made an effort and they must feel that they are unique (not just part of a blind cc group follow up).
Three tips to following up:
1. Identify two or three people that stood out from the crowd. If you attempt to follow up with everyone you will be overwhelmed and most likely follow up with nobody.
2. Send them a personalized email, or better ... a handwritten note!!! If you make the other person feel they are significant, they are more likely to remember you in the future.
3. Make a note in your calendar to reach out to them again in a few months, as out of sight is out of mind. It takes multiple interactions to establish a meaningful relationship.
All opportunities come from people, and those you encounter at business events are the ones who can have a direct effect on your future.
Have A Great Day
thom singer
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