You've made a promising connection at a networking event. How do you nurture it without coming on too strong?
You've made a promising connection; now, keep the momentum without overwhelming them. To strike the right balance:
How do you maintain new professional relationships? Care to share your strategies?
You've made a promising connection at a networking event. How do you nurture it without coming on too strong?
You've made a promising connection; now, keep the momentum without overwhelming them. To strike the right balance:
How do you maintain new professional relationships? Care to share your strategies?
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The only way you can stand out is by being as authentic as you can be in your conversation. Once, my company was a lead sponsor at a mega conference. I was wearing a lovely indian saree with high heels and went to speaker room for some quiet time with a cuppa. However, the person sitting next to me started a conversation. Post brief intros, he shared that he was CEO of one of the joint-venture of a Global MNC (incidently, my previous employer). Out of curiousity, I asked how was the JV going? He said that they are exiting. I said, huh! who is helping you? He replied no one, do you guys do M&A? We agreed to meet post the conference and became their trusted divestiture partner. Years later, we are still connected. Winning with authenticity!
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One thing I found very helpful is to genuinely talk about how both parties would like to stay in touch and communicate in the future. Both parties should have a say in what happens next. Not just one person who follows up, sends an article, mails a card, or does anything to stay top of mind. That's old school. Everyone is doing the same exact thing when it comes to nurturing a connection but few have a conversation about what it looks and feels like moving forward.
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After your initial follow-up, keep the connection warm by occasionally engaging with their content—like or comment on their posts, or send along an article you think they’d enjoy based on your conversation. Every few weeks, drop a friendly note to check in or share a relevant update. When the timing feels right, suggest a casual coffee or virtual chat, with no specific agenda other than reconnecting. This approach keeps the relationship fresh and friendly, showing genuine interest without pressure.
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Connect with them on social media, remind them of something they said during your conversation with them at the networking event. If you’re able to help them, then ask to arrange a meeting to find out more about them and their services in order to then make an introduction.
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T up a coffee chat, to see how you can help each other. Follow up and touch base from time to time as you would with friends and family and build stronger relationships by inviting them to other events you both might benefit from and sped more time together.
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It’s not so much a “strategy” as much as a genuine way of conducting yourself and your business. You either have something to offer or you don’t. If you don’t, consider how you may be a resource to someone who does. Demonstrate that authentically with a follow up that clearly defines your intentions rather than an open ended “hey, can we get coffee?” Everyone knows I love my #CoffeeWithColson. But to know why we will meet and what value it will bring to my our shared network and organizations is everything. Networking is giving not receiving.
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One of the best parts of being an entrepreneur for me is making meaningful business connections. The key to any successful deal starts with a genuine relationship. After meeting someone, I like to send a friendly thank-you message mentioning any common interests we have. If I know someone who could help them in their business, I’m happy to connect the dots. Approaching these relationships with integrity and a willingness to support each other makes everything grow naturally over time.
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I always find it best to build a relationship. Invite your new contact for a 121 over a coffee, find out about the person first. Their family and interests, why they set up their business and it’s goals and aspirations. Then and only then explore how your two business or their contact could possibly work together moving forward.
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I think it is very important to be honest to yourself: is the connection mutually promising and both parties will have a benefit from it. If the benefit appears to be one-sided, think what you can offer to bring more balance into the relationship. You might not believe it, but there is always a little something that you can offer in return. Connect on social media, follow up with a nice note, see if you might have mutual acquaintances / interests and build on that. 👉 Staying authentic is the key ingredient - it is ok to ask for a favor and return it at some other time. That's how you build a lasting relationship
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It is important to follow up quickly as responsiveness has landed me business. I recommend sending out a handwritten notecard expressing how nice it was to meet and also send a note via email. I recommend asking when would be a good time to reconnect for a virtual coffee & chat within the next few weeks. I would suggest a few times two weeks out and wait to hear their response. If they don't respond, I would send a reconnect email two weeks later, just in case it got overlooked. The key factor in networking is building authentic relationships with follow up and follow through. If in your discussion, their was a topic that was of great interest to your connection, search out some current information on it and email it to them. Be a resource.
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