Your Fortune Is In Your Follow-Up

“The fortune is in the follow-up.” If you are in sales or have studied sales at all, you may have heard that phrase, and it is true. In networking, as in sales, follow-up is crucial because it is a key to remaining top-of-mind with those in your network. Who you follow-up with, how you do this, and when to follow-up are important things to consider in your networking process because as your network grows, you can become overwhelmed by the options. Certain modes and methods are better suited to particular groups of people in your network, and thinking about how you will continue to engage with those specific groups will help you create systems to efficiently cultivate your network.

Even if you know that you should follow-up with your network, you may not know of the different types of follow-up, and you may not have considered different techniques of follow-up. In all of these cases, the primary reasons for the networking follow-up are the same: to grow your relationship and to remain of value to your network partner. This is different from sales follow-up where the primary purpose is to move a prospective buyer to the next step in a sales process, and this difference is important! If you mix the messages, you can confuse (or possibly offend) your networking partner.

Here I am going to suggest several different types of networking follow-up communications. And while this list is not exhaustive, it will help clarify your thoughts on connecting with your network. In a later note I’ll suggest various methods to implement these types.

The Check-In Follow-Up

The most basic follow-up is what I’m calling the “check-in”, as in “I’ve not heard from you in a while, I’m just checking-in to see how you are doing.” This is done to show you were thinking of someone, or perhaps another person asked you if you’d talked to this person recently. It may be that the partner offers a product or service you need now, and it’s been a while since you’d learned about it so you don’t even know if they are still in that business. The check-in is usually not expected by the partner, but you will find that most people enjoy receiving them.

The Check-Up Follow-Up

This is the post-interaction touch-base contact. It could be post-sale follow-up, but it also could be testing to make sure an email you sent was read or useful, or to see if the results of a suggestion you offered were as helpful as you hoped. Usually you have an additional goal with this follow-up: you want to get some feedback on their experience to correct your service, process, or product. If you prepare the partner for this check-up you are more likely to get the information you desire, so set the expectation of this follow-up during the prior interaction. Ask something like “is it okay if I follow-up with you next week about this?”

The Check-Back Follow-Up

In some ways, the check-back is the reverse of the check-up. Post-interaction, you contact the person who helped you to keep them apprised of the situation. Letting them know that your search continues, or that you solved the problem, or that you reached the person they suggested you call completes a task in the partner’s mind. They are more likely to give you more help in the future when they know the results of the help they gave you. This sort of follow-up requires diligence on your part. For most of us, once advice or help is received, we forget to give feedback to the giver. This is a mistake.

The Check-Out Follow-Up

One of the most powerful ways to build and maintain relationships is to continually offer items of value to the partner. The check-out follow-up is the process of sharing items of interest - “here, check this out...” or “I saw this and thought you’d like to know…” It reinforces the fact that you care (you took the time to send the follow-up), you pay attention (you found something you believe would add value to your partner), and that you value the relationship (you did this unprompted and not expecting anything in return). As you explore the world with “networking eyes and ears” you will learn of the interests, hobbies, and needs of others. You will also encounter resources that while they have little or no value to you could offer great value to others in your network. Share that information in a proper check-out follow-up and see what happens.

The Check-Off Follow-Up

People’s lives change. Perhaps they are no longer in a position to have the bandwidth to communicate the way you want them to. The check-off is the simple and kind way to respect the relationship and keep it available but on-hold for now. Just ask something like “I’ve not heard from you in a while, I respect you and I don’t want to be a pest… if you want me to stop trying to contact you, please let me know and I’ll stop.” The door is always open to continue the conversation, but now is not the time. Alternatively, the check-off could request a possible future date to continue the additional follow-up (something like “I’ll check back in 6 months to see how you are doing…).

The Thank You Follow Up

Staying top of mind with your network by appreciating them is the best form of follow-up. I highly recommend a short book on this topic: Appreciation Marketing by Tommy Wyatt and Curtis Lewsey. Properly appreciating your network partners is the surest way to encourage them to generate more of the referrals you want. The key here is “properly” - proper appreciation is sincere, specific, timely, appropriately personal, and positive. It says “thank you” for something & ONLY EXPRESSES APPRECIATION. How many times have you received a form letter thanking you for your business? How many times have you received a note of thanks that ends with a plea for a sale or another referral? All the good feelings the sender intended are reduced by the mixed message.

 And now, thank YOU for reading!

-Jeff Hexter

Becoming VISIBLE to Your Network

I explained before that you need to be known, liked, and trusted as a networker before you can expect to get referrals. That takes some interpersonal communications skills, some effort, and some commitment. The good news is if you are reading this, you have already accomplished at least some of that.

There are still missing ingredients to getting the referrals you want. The first of these is becoming remembered when the opportunity to refer you presents itself - you need to be top-of-mind among your network. You become top of mind in at least two ways: by reminding your network, and by increasing your visibility within your network.

You get to remind your network each time you meet for your 1-2-1s, and each time you do your networking presentation. You increase your visibility when you give testimonials, when you give referrals, when you share your networking successes and knowledge, and when you take on leadership roles within your network. The common thread here is that your visibility grows when your network sees you consistently working for the benefit of others.

One reason I share these networking notes is that they give me greater visibility, but for me that is really secondary to the opportunity to focus on learning more about networking, hone my skills, and create something of value.

I’ll deal with the second missing ingredient in my next note, but I want you to consider this:

Your visibility is relative to other individuals in your network, not to the network itself.

To some networkers, you will just be barely visible, to others you will be highly visible. You will get the most benefit from your network when you are highly visible to your contact sphere and - if you are in one - to your power team (this is a topic I have not yet covered).  

KLT Is Not Enough

(There is more to getting referred than just being known, liked, and trusted

All things being equal, people prefer to do business with those they know, like, and trust. We all know this, but there is one other thing that needs to happen for people to make referrals to you: you need to be remembered when the opportunity to refer you presents itself.

The process of becoming the person who gets remembered is a topic for another note, and it is closely related to the process of becoming known, liked, and trusted, but it is not identical. And in any case, KLT must precede being remembered. We resist sharing our networks with people we do not KLT. Therefore, our skill at achieving KLT status will greatly improve our networking. 

To understand why this is required first, simply look at the opposite: no one would willingly refer business to someone they did not know, did not like, and did not trust, no matter how visible, credible, well-marketed, and remember-able others believed them to be.

So, how do you become the kind of networker who has achieved KLT status? It is, literally, the same way you become friends, and yes, I’ve explained this before: in your initial 1-2-1 conversations, hunt for areas of common interest and dwell on them. If you start there, and return there, you will become someone who is known and liked.

Trust is different. Trust requires confidence in your reliability, and therefore it requires proof. It can start small - just commit to a scheduled 1-2-1 and be there, on time, and ready. It will grow as you share stories about how you’ve helped others, and as others share stories about you. It will grow as you are asked for information and deliver it. 

At some point, through these interactions, you will shift from being someone who is just another networker, to being a friend. And then you can become the friend who is top-of-mind when someone needs what you offer.   

If meeting indoors makes you nervous, try “net-walking!”

Networking Refresher

By Jeff Hexter and Sue Nelson

1:1 conversations build Know, Like and Trust Factor in relationships.

Just a little reminder for you all:

For job seekers, networking is about “the process of interesting” people in your interests, insights and talents. “The key word in this definition is ‘process.’”[1] Networking is never about closing the deal like it’s a sale. It is the process of creating MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIPS.

2 Times, there are, in your life that you should be networking: Before you need a network and when you need a network.

3 Things have to happen to build a relationship: You must be KNOWN, LIKED, and TRUSTed (KLT). You achieve these qualities by interacting with others.

4 Things need to happen for you to receive a referral: KLT and REMEMBERING when the chance to refer arises.

1 Thing needs to happen for you to be remembered: FOLLOW UP with people you meet. This is also part of building a relationship.

You may meet at networking events, but the real relationship building happens in ONE-TO-ONE meetings between networkers.

1-2-1 meetings are not sales pitches or requests to be hired. They are conversations where you:

• Discover areas of common interest.

• Explore ideas for helping each other.

• Discuss potential referrals and how to properly make them.

Lastly, a REFERRAL is a WARM INTRODUCTION to a potential customer, source or further referrals, or a resource that benefits your networking partner.

You can do this!

[1] Adapted for job seekers from https://specialties.bayt.com/en/specialties/q/1799/what-is-the-best-definition-for-marketing-in-your-point-of-view-and-why/