You’ve heard that networking is a great way to build your business.
“Just get yourself out there.”
“Go out and meet people.”
“You never know who your friends know.”
That’s what they all say, right?
So. You just went to a networking event. You had some great conversations. You met some really nice people. And you collected a ton of business cards.
And now you’re home, and you’re thinking … “Now what?!”
Should you follow up? Does the fact that someone gave you a card imply that it’s okay for you to contact them? Can you add them to your email list? And what do you even say when you DO follow up?
All these questions may leave you paralyzed with indecision. So you wait, which creates a time gap, and then you’re embarrassed because you don’t know what to say or how to follow up
Which leads to wasted opportunities.
It’s all so overwhelming!
Okay, stop right there.
There’s no need to panic.
I’m going to walk you through how to know whether you can email or call someone whose business card you got at an event, and how to follow up in a way that’s effective, authentic, and fun.
Okay, let’s dive in!
Do you know where all good follow-up starts?
BEFORE the meeting.
The very first step to successful networking follow-up is to get prepared in advance.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to networking is to fail to think about follow-up before the meeting. When this happens, you’re in reactionary mode. You’re behind the 8-ball.
The solution: shift your mindset. Go from reactive to proactive.
With decisions made ahead of time, you can network and follow up with confidence.
Before you even begin thinking about follow-up messages, you may wonder whether you’re even supposed to follow up with the people you’ve met (or the people whose business cards you’ve collected) at an event.
How to Know if You Have Permission to Contact Someone
Wow! That stack of business cards you picked up at the networking event is huge! But are all of these prospects actually prospects? Is it okay to reach out to them?
My answer: it depends how you got the business cards.
If you just went around and picked them up off a table, then, no, it’s not okay to reach out to them. The point is not to collect cards, just for the sake of collecting cards.
But, if you had a conversation with people, and they said they’d like to learn more about what you do, then yes! Reach out to them.
It’s okay to do so for two reasons:
They asked to learn more.
Every email message you send will include an “unsubscribe” link, which will allow people to unsubscribe or to adjust the settings of their subscription – so they choose which types of messages to receive. (By including an “unsubscribe” link, you’re also adhering to spam regulations. This means you can follow up with confidence.)
The best way to reach out to them is with a pre-written, automated email series. Even better, when you’re prepared and proactive, you can actually let people know, while you’re talking with them at a networking event, that they’re going to receive your free gift in your follow-up series, and what else to expect.
Follow-Up Email Messages
Before you even attend a networking event, create a series of follow-up emails you can send out to the people whose business cards you collect.
Keep in mind that the purpose of this follow-up is clarity (not necessarily to get a client). You want the reader to self-identify as one of your potential clients, and refer people they know who may be potential clients. It’s a great way to get people in touch with you.
The First Message
Obviously, since you’re creating this message ahead of time, it will be generalized, and it will include:
A “Nice to meet you” statement, for the people with whom you talked or interacted.
Information about the transformation you provide through your services.
An invitation to get your free gift. I recommend adding people to your prospect list and giving them access to the gift, without requiring them to do anything else. This will give prospects a better idea of how you serve the people with whom you work, and the transformation they experience.
A Call to Action, asking people to download the gift (yes, it’s best to actually spell it out – people are more likely to download your gift if you say, “Download my gift.”) Or, you can ask the reader to forward the link to the free gift on to a friend or family member who may be a good fit if he or she isn’t.
A Secondary Call to Action in the PS. This Call to Action will provide a link to a scheduler where people can book a sample session with you. It may say something like, “If you’re ready to overcome your challenges and experience results, book a sample session to get started today.” Of course, it’s best to be specific about which challenges they’ll overcome, and which results they’ll achieve.
The Second Message
In this message, share the top questions people have about working with you: specifically, about the transformation they experience, and how you answer those questions.
This may read like an FAQ question. The point of sharing questions and answers is to overcome common objections someone might have to hiring you (or any coach!).
Here’s an example:
Q: I’m so busy! I don’t have time for coaching. How can I justify this time investment?
A: During our work together, I’ll show you how to choose your priorities and get more of the important items done in less time, while providing accountability you may not otherwise hold yourself to. So while you may feel short on time later, you’ll soon find that as a result of the focus and accountability, you have more free time and an increased sense of calm.
As with your first message, this one should include a Call to Action. Let readers know that if they’re ready to overcome challenges and achieve results, they can click on the link to your schedule and set up a complimentary session with you. Or, alternately, to send the link to someone who may be a good fit.
The Third Message
A few days after you send the previous message, send a third in which you share the success story of one of your clients.
I recommend this message focus on a case study or testimonial that shows your client’s before and after.
This provides social proof—evidence that you’ve walked your talk and that what you’re promising is real.
As with your first two messages, this one should include a Call to Action. Ask readers to click on the link to your schedule and set up a complimentary session with you if they’re ready to overcome challenges and achieve results. Or, alternately, to send the link to someone who may be a good fit.
Bringing It All Together
So many coaches love the social aspect of networking, but find the conversations and follow-up intimidating.
The good news is that knowing how you’re going to follow up and what you’re going to say in advance brings clarity on what to talk about and how to guide the in-person conversation at the actual networking event. And when you know the sequence of your follow-up messages, you can minimize the time gap between the networking event and their receipt of your first message, which keeps them interested and engaged.
One quick note, here: be sure to enter new names and contact information into your database within 24 hours upon receiving them. If you can’t find the time to do this, it’s a great project to outsource to a VA.
Being prepared and proactive can change the way you feel about—and approach—networking so it’s effective!
So remember:
Be proactive rather than reactive. Create your follow-up messages ahead of time.
During networking meetings, let prospects know what to expect. Give them a hint about what they’ll get from your autoresponder series (like your free gift!).
Enter new contact information within 24 hours of receiving it.
Assign and send your autoresponder series with a Call to Action on every message.
When you follow these steps, you’ll find networking is effective, because you’ll be growing your community, whether these new contacts sign up for strategy sessions, refer their friends to you, or just remain a part of your list. And guess what? You’ll find this process fun—and way less intimidating!
Presenting Bootcamp STAR Graduate – Alexander McClean, Eagle Wind Coaching
Alexander is one of our Top 11 students in this past session—the “cum laude” of the bunch who launched her businesses with our support and who is now thriving!
Alexander offers coaching to people experiencing doubts about midlife.
How to avoid confusion
Can I hear you say, “You got that right!” if you feel midlife is a maze of confusion?
You’re frustrated with just about everything. You feel tired all the time and drained of energy. Your head has a never ending stream of questions. You don’t know where your life is going. You feel like your drowning in a sea of soul searching. Unfulfilled dreams have floated by. This burning desire wells up in you to lead a more meaningful life. Me too!
Well there’s good news! I found a way through and so can you.
The antidote to confusion is clarity.
So let me share with you what my business is about.
Coaching is a curious profession. For me it’s a magical process that’s why I’ve been coached, continue to be coached and qualified as a Certified Professional Coach. I trust in this process because it works.
I believe there are four key aspects present at varying degrees unique to each person during each coaching session, as well as throughout each coaching journey. So let’s have a quick look at them now.
Clarity is gained by what to focus on now
It’s about ensuring and creating a confidential space of trust where the sky is the limit. It’s about feeling free enough to share aspirations, fears, ideas, values, beliefs, feelings and expectations spontaneously. It’s somewhere safe enough to dare to dream.
This non-judgmental space recognizes the disparity between a current reality and the power to choose and create a new reality. Decisions determine destiny.
Clarity is found by finding harmony
This is where obstacles can be challenged, strengths can be built on, different perspectives can be gained and possibilities can expand. It’s about stimulating curiosity, creativity, confidence and choices which encourage finding deeper meaning and fulfillment.
Finding harmony is the power to probe and ponder all options so that inwardly and outwardly this connects to the flow of a meaningful and fulfilling life.
Clarity is gained by seeing the bigger picture
Seeing the bigger picture permits possibilities and potential to unify and fuel a passion for action to go to the next level. This is when a sincere commitment to change in realistic incremental steps is sealed.
Accountability at this point also encourages going deeper into the process to enable conscious choices to be made. Meaningful actions need to be embraced. It’s a way to engage in life, bridge gaps and gain momentum to keep moving onwards and upwards.
Clarity is gained by sharing
Choosing to be dedicated and determined to follow through on decisions encourages practical application of what has been learnt to filter into and become a natural and integral part of daily and on-going life.
Sharing can spark insights. Highlighting, recapping and acknowledging positive feelings and outcomes along the way is uplifting and motivating.
It’s about celebrating, honoring and loving all those little steps that transformed into cherished triumphs.
Last, but certainly not least, wherever you are in your own personal maze remember it’s an entrance. It’s an entrance where you will find your way to your goal. Below are some of the results that my clients experienced when they reached their goals:
being 100% themselves and being happier
being confident to live the life of their dreams
being zen and finding balance and peace of mind
being healthier and more active and excited about life
being clear on why they are here and what they are here to do
being in control and able to decide the direction they choose to go
What do you want to experience more of?
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Alexander McClean is a Professional Traininer & Coach. As a result of her revelations she was hungry to seek answers and she began to study personal development and she devoured everything. As she started to figure stuff out she got breakthroughs by implementing strategies, tools and habits that made my life take off. She decided she would not let her past define or dictate who she is. She started new routines, habits and ideas that helped her to change the way she looked at the world. She discovered that one of her greatest strengths is that she is vulnerable and that it is okay to be fully human. She knows how to cry, she knows how to grieve and she knows how to get back up again.
After 10 years in business with minimal success, she got crystal clear on how to talk with her prospects and clients and as a result she repositioned her entire business and is now realizing her full potential.
Presenting Bootcamp STAR Graduate – Kim Parrott, Sea Change Resources
Kim is one of our Top 10 students in this past session—the “cum laude” of the bunch who launched her businesses with our support and who is now thriving!
Kim offers executive and team coaching for senior leaders & emerging leaders.
Gratitude
I feel so fortunate to work as a coach and facilitator because it enables me to be my best self, while helping others realize their best selves. As a coach I get to help people identify what really matters to them at both a professional and personal level. As a facilitator I get to help groups achieve results beyond the sum of their individual efforts. That’s fun adventurous stuff, which I’ve always enjoyed.
Some background: I grew up overseas in a diplomatic family in East Africa, Soviet Union, England and Belgium. After college I went to sea for seven years as a coast guard licensed officer aboard square-rigged ships. Eventually my seafaring husband and I moved ashore to start a family. Soon thereafter I launched a consulting business with my mother, which has evolved into what is now SeaChange Resources. My mother continues to be a mentor, partner and inspiration.
Our Quest: Accelerated Wisdom
“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” –Isaac Asimov, Writer and Biochemistry Professor
This melancholy quote has been a motivating challenge for us at SeaChange—how do we accelerate the development of wisdom in leaders and teams? The commitment to that quest is embedded in our logo.
If the answers were self-evident, we’d all be enlightened by now. Clearly we’re not. IS there a way to fast-forward the acquisition of wisdom?
First of all, a distinction needs to be made between knowledge and wisdom. At its simplest, the former pertains to the information and skills that a person gains through experience and education. The latter is how well that knowledge is applied.
Wisdom is grown, not manufactured. It often originates from deeply personal experience, usually in the form of a challenge or hardship. It involves gaining a larger perspective that transcends the boundaries of self, in other words, a meta-awareness of awareness itself.
New Applications of Age-Old Wisdom
For the last five years we’ve been designing the Quest for Excellence framework–an intensive learning environment that naturally seeds and feeds wisdom. None of the ideas are new. Indeed most of the elements have ancient pedagogical roots.
The formula is simple: the pursuit of holistic excellence both in input and output.
Where we are breaking new ground is in the integrated application of these age-old modalities to the development of a modern leader.
The original Greek word for wisdom is sophia, which means clarity. Enabling society to gain wisdom apace with the surging knowledge of science is dependent on the clarity of our focus in evolving whole-minded and whole-hearted leaders.
A Lot to Ask
It’s a tall order, we know, and still aspirational at this point. However, that’s what coaching is about—encouraging our clients and ourselves to set beautiful and mighty goals that we can grow into.
There’s also serendipity involved. Several months ago I chanced upon the Coaches Console website while looking for an online calendar tool to share with my clients. I soon discovered that I had bumped into a whole system approach that would enable me to take my business to the next level. An Easy Breezy Bootcamp later I am much further along on my own business quest than I would have dreamed possible.
So I’ll end where I started—grateful to be surrounded by a community of coaches committed to bringing out the best in each other.
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Kim Parrott is the principal of SeaChange Resources, LLC. Kim has 20 years of experience of leadership development, executive coaching, strategic planning and facilitation for a broad range of organizations including corporations, colleges, government agencies and the non-profit sector. She also serves on the faculty of the Center for Creative Leadership, a globally ranked provider of leadership development and research, and is a Senior Consultant for The Cradlerock Group providing leadership training and coaching for multinational companies. Kim holds a in BA History from Yale, a MA in Teaching from Brown and is an ICF certified coach. Kim lives with her husband and two children in Blue Hill, Maine. Learn more about Kim.
“My [Bootcamp] coach helped me reach for [and complete] the missing pieces. You must AIM for success to reach it!”
Presenting Bootcamp STAR Graduate – Laura Harju, Love Coach
Laura is one of our Top 11 students in this past session—the “cum laude” of the bunch who launched her businesses with our support and who is now thriving!
Laura offers love coaching to single woman.
Get on your path towards your Mr. Right
For me love has always been the basic feeling that we want to have to be happy. From my very early ages I was all the time looking for that romantic love and most of the time I was too mature for the boys that I was interested in. At the age of 18 I finally found my True Love. It was magical. It was everything that I had ever dreamed of. At the beginning we were a match, but after a couple of years together I started to notice things where we weren’t a match anymore. In that relationship I learned my love language which is very physical. For my first True Love that wasn’t the way he expressed his love and that became a bigger and bigger issue in our relationship. During our time together we had taught each other valuable lessons but grown apart in the process. Not long after that realization we broke up.
After the breakup with my first True Love I experienced a long row of Mr. Wrongs. I got to the point where I thought that True Love is something one experiences only once in a lifetime. When surrendering to the fact that the only relationship that will last forever is the relationship with myself, I cultivated my self-love and focused on things that made me happy. By doing so I was effectively using the Law of Attraction and attracted my second True Love into my life, a relationship where the Love grows every day! These experiences with Mr. Wrongs, coupled with meeting my second True Love, Markus, is what has shown me my true calling, my purpose in life, which is to help as many people as possible to find True Love in their own life.
How do you feel about finding your True Love? Do you see it as an impossible dream? Do you often think that all the good ones are already taken? Are you tired of jumping from one bad relationship to the next? Have you started to think that you need to change in some way to find True Love? I want to reassure you, that you are perfect just the way you are and that there is a True Love waiting for you! The common mistakes single women make when looking for their True Love which keep them meeting the wrong guys are lack of clarity, inaction and negative thought patterns.
Lack of clarity means that you don’t have a clear picture about your True Love. To get what you want you need to know what it is that you want. When you know the qualities you are looking for in a person, it’s easier for you when meeting new people to notice which one of them are potential partners and which one will maybe become good friends. Every encounter with another human being will give you a clearer picture of what it is that you want. When you are using all life’s experiences in determining your preferences you will find out soon what pleases you and what doesn’t. You want to sit down and write on a piece of paper all the aspects that you want to have in your ideal partner and relationship. Use all your past experiences as a stepping stone to gain more clarity of your likings. When you do know what you want and you start to focus on those qualities in other people, you will start noticing them more and soon the person you are looking at is your True Love.
The inaction that I’m referring to is the thought that “when I meet the One then I will do this and that with him”. But when you want to attract your True Love into your life, the most important thing is to feel good. Then you will get into your life even more things that make you feel good. Other people will reflect back to you the feelings that you are feeling inside of you. And people want to be around happy people. So when you are clear on what it is you want, then it’s time to take action. Do things that bring you joy, make you happy and help you experience those feelings you wish your True Love will awaken in you. Make your dreams come true, do the things that you have always wanted to do, have fun with your friends, do pleasant things on your own, and really live your life and you will find the One who will make your life even more fun, joyful and magical.
With negative thought patterns I mean those unfavorable repetitive thoughts that go through your head when you think about True Love. Those thoughts can be “All the good ones are already taken”, “There’s no such thing as True Love” or “There’s something wrong with me”. If the thought of True Love fills you with negative feelings like loneliness, desperation, fear, unworthiness, jealousy, discouragement, worry, doubt or frustration, it’s a strong sign that there are negative thought patterns hiding behind those feelings. You are a spiritual being and your thoughts and feelings determine a lot of your outer reality. So when you have your list of your preferences ready, it’s important to think about your True Love and feel positive feelings like joy, love, appreciation, passion, enthusiasm, eagerness, happiness, positive expectation and belief, optimism and hopefulness. One easy way to give your desire positive attention is to form affirmations that arise those feelings inside of you when you read them out loud or silently to yourself. You want to keep those affirmations with you and come back to them as often as possible and especially when you aren’t feeling good to get yourself into a better mood. Focusing positively on your True Love will make your days more joyful and love-filled. You will soon notice the effects by encountering people who help you feel those positive feelings, one of them being your True Love.
The mistakes mentioned above are easy to avoid. It’s up to you to take the time and energy to learn and use the tips and tools to avoid them. So go to the Love Coach Laura Harju website and get your Free Special Report where you will get more strategies how to avoid these mistakes.
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Laura Harju is a certified Life Coach and a Love Coach. She assists her clients to identify their True Love, to experience more Love here and now, and to clear out the mind’s obstacles to finding True Love. Laura loves working as a Life Coach because it allows her to contribute to people’s lives in a much deeper way; and thanks to modern technology, Laura can serve clients worldwide! Through her coaching Laura helps single women find their True Love, so that they can share the big Love they have in their hearts.
“You MUST know your WHY to be able to stay the course and see great results. Bootcamp is a full blown Business Building Class set up in bite size pieces, not just learning a software.”
Presenting Bootcamp STAR Graduate – Victoria McCooey, The Divorce Course for Women
Victoria is one of our Top 11 students in this past session—the “cum laude” of the bunch who launched her businesses with our support and who is now thriving!
Victoria offers coaching to women who are going through divorce.
Finding Your Lemonade
When life gives you lemons, it may be hard to see how to make lemonade. But it’s there, if you just keep looking
When I was suffering through my own divorce, I didn’t see a bright side. All I could see was wounded children, a vengeful ex, insurmountable bills, isolation and fear, vacation days spent in courtrooms, guilt, fear and depression. I was in victim mode.
Can you relate? Are you feeling like a victim now? If you are, then you know what it’s like. You’re tired. You’re depressed. Everything hurts. You feel jealous. You believe that the universe is out to get you. You find no joy in anything. You say to yourself, over and over, “why me?”
Ugh. Who wants to live like that? No one. And no one wants to be around anyone like that. Not your friends. Not your family. Not your children. It’s hard to help someone who is feeling sorry
for herself. So you need to find a way to snap out of it. Fast.
One way is to look for the positive. “Impossible,” you say. “There is absolutely nothing positive about what’s happening here.” You may be surprised.
Why me?
It’s difficult to understand why bad things happen when they’re happening. But the reason always becomes clear in time. So you just have to trust that something good is going to come of
the heartache you are feeling now. And it will.
It wasn’t until many years later that I realized why I had to endure a decade-long divorce, suffer through endless court appearances, and begrudgingly spend what could have been college tuition for my three children. It was so that I would be more knowledgeable about more aspects of divorce and how it affects women, and be able to help more women who find themselves in the same situation.
I finally understood how to make lemonade out of my lemons.
I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything. Every single obstacle I faced made me stronger and better able to support my clients. All of that negativity has been transformed into a
positive: a fulfilling career helping women face their own divorce drama and come out better than before. I want you to find your lemonade. I want you to one day take your experiences from this dark, scary time and realize the positive impact they’ve had on you. You will be stronger. You will be smarter. You will be a better parent. You will gain new perspective. You will be better equipped to handle unexpected challenges. You will be a better partner to some very lucky person.
Try to keep this in mind as you make your way through the process. Your lemonade is waiting.
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Victoria McCooey is founder, president and head coach at The Divorce Course for Women. She became a volunteer for the Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and she supported and encouraged the women she met by imparting what she’d learned on her journey. Learn more about Victoria.
