Whether it’s your first conference or your 20th, it’s not unusual to get overwhelmed. You spend all your time networking and learning for hours on end. By the time you return home to your normal life, you need a break.
But as you get caught up with all the work (and sleep) you missed, there’s one important thing you can’t overlook.
Without following up on the connections you made, your conference networking efforts will be essentially wasted. Here’s how to make the process as painless as possible!
Get Organized
In a perfect world, you will have kept notes and filed business cards in a tidy manner. Realistically, you’re going to be finding cards in your suitcase, pockets, and other places for a while after you get home.
Gather all your notes, cards, and other information from the conference and then organize that information. Make sure to keep any literature that gives the names of conference attendees so you can make sure you remember everyone you connected with. Even if you didn’t exchange cards or other contact information during a conversation, you can still follow up!
Use a System
It helps to have a system in place to manage your contacts. Some people prefer to go old-school with a paper journal. Others prefer an Excel Spreadsheet.
If you’re really tech savvy, you might try a business card app on your phone that allows you to scan and organize information from cards.
Be Strategic
Now that you have your information organized, it’s time to do something with it. Some people–the pushy salesperson who shoved their card in your hand before launching into a pitch–might not warrant a Linked-In invite. But most of the connections you made will be worth pursuing.
You might try separating your connections into two categories–one for more casual connections, and another for people you actively want to pursue. You’ll want to reach out to everyone on social media–LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook–and reinforce your connection with a friend request or follow.
Genuine Connection
However, the people in the second category–those conference attendees you clicked with or who might be able to bolster your career–need more attention. Follow up within a week’s time with a specific reason to chat. You might ask a question regarding a conversation you had, for example.
Even better, send them information that they might find helpful. And if your new connection is local, it’s absolutely okay to invite them to chat over coffee. It never hurts to build connections in your home territory!
