Business networking is an ongoing process of reconnecting with those you meet, so it’s important to have a way to manage the contacts you make and to keep in touch. To do that, here’s an easy, 4 step follow up system.

Enter the contacts into your contact management software.
Now that you’ve met some great people, it’s time to organize your contacts in a logical way. The absolute worst thing you can do is throw the business cards in a drawer expecting that you’ll return to them later. You won’t.

The first step to effective follow up is to enter the names and contact information into your contact management software such as Top Producer, ACT, or Microsoft Outlook within a day or two of the event so you don’t forget important details in the hustle and bustle of your daily routine.

Be sure to create logical categories so you can easily reference each contact you made. For instance, there’s a good chance that in a week or two, you’ll forget the person’s name, so consider creating categories based on the event name and date or the industry your contact works in. Along with each contact’s information, add a few personal notes such as the names of their spouse, children, and pets, any interests they might have, and the topic of your conversation. If you promised to send them information, be sure to record that along with the date you send it.

Send each person a personalized thank you note the next day.
The next step is to follow up with each person immediately. If you don’t have time, make it. This is the most important step of following up. The only way you will build a referral based business is to cultivate relationships.

One of the best ways to prove that you are a considerate and trustworthy person is to follow up with a personalized thank you note along with whatever reference, referral or information you promised them you’d send. If they said they’d send something to you, mention that you are looking forward to receiving it. Following up promptly is critical if you hope they’ll remember you in a week or two.

Consider starting an information file on contacts you’d like to know better.
For those exceptional people you know will be a fantastic resource for your network, consider starting an information file on them. As you come across things about this person or information they’d find interesting, add it to the file. If you read an article written by this person, send them a note that mentions what you found extremely valuable in the article. If you hear that they’ve gotten promoted or completed a big deal, send them a congratulatory card. If you find a reference they’d be interested in, use that as an opportunity to keep in touch.

Don’t add them to your mailing list unless they’ve agreed to it.
Finally, just because you’ve received a business card from someone does not mean they want to join your mailing list. Don’t – under any circumstance – add them unless they’ve given you permission during your conversation. Adding people to your mailing list without their consent is considered extremely rude or even spam.

If you’d like to invite them to join your email list, you can send them a polite email that references something you spoke about during your conversation and how you address those types of issues in your monthly newsletter. Then, tell them how to receive the newsletter – go to your website or just reply to the email – if they’d like to subscribe.

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