Networking Event Follow-up: The Rule of Three

Bruce Allen suggests that three follow-ups from an event are a lot better than none and I'd have to agree. He says:

One event = one email, one note, one call.

With the best intentions in mind, writing handwritten notes to everyone you've met is a great idea. But it can seem like a monumental undertaking so what happens? Days go by...then weeks...pretty soon months...and then it's a year. No follow-ups made. I hate to admit it, but I've done this, too (sssshhhh).

Bruce, on his blog Marketing Catalyst, suggests this, instead:

Sort through the stack of business cards and select three. Hang on to those three cards and toss the rest into a corner to gather dust (or hand them off to get entered in a database or whatever -- just get them off your desk).

Email one, write a quick note to another, and call the third. You're done. I'd say this can easily be done in about 5 minutes.

This approach makes sense. Sure it would be optimal to follow up with everyone. But because three is better than none, which is what we end up with most of the time, then three sounds great to me.

Bruce's post is #7 in a series of posts on tips for networking at an event. These are excellent bits of advice! Check out the whole series starting at post #1.

Comments

[Mike Kaselnak]

Michelle, I was a victime of not following through as well but for some reason, one day I made writing handwritten notes a priority. I then did it more and more until I was writing 240 handwritten notes a week. 6 hours of work but it took me from an income of about $50,000 a year to a little over $900,000 a year. I'm glad I put it into my routine!

[Susan Martin]

OK, that makes it concise, but is it really effective? I suggest the following alternative:

1. Identify some professional categories that could be good referral sources for you (sell non-competing services to the same group of customers)

2. Attend networking events with the goal of meeting and speaking with several of these types of professionals (it's quality not quantity you're looking for)

Suggest that you setup a time to meet to learn more about each others businesses.

2. Follow-up with them within a week or so of the event to setup a time meet.

3. During the meeting focus on really getting to know them, their ideal clients, the problems those clients face that their services solve, and the solutions they provide. Ask them what constitutes the best type of referral.

Then do the same for your business. Provide concise, concrete case studies or stories to make your services come to life, ask them for same.

4. Actively seek referrals for them.

5. If things click, continue the relationship on an ongoing basis. By developing the personal relationship, you'll eventually become sources of referral for each other.

[BeanCounter]

Bruce is absolutely correct. Not only did I write hand written notes, but I went and got a heap of personalised postcards printed. On the front was a picture of a relaxing beach scene of the Gold Coast, Australia, where I live. On the back, my photo and contact details, with room for me to write a short note.

People not only remembered me, but they loved the postcard and kept it displayed.