By Roseann Sullivan
A few months ago, I blocked off an afternoon to attend a "leads game" at a local chamber of commerce. I have facilitated such games in the past, and I thought that being a participant would be both fun and productive. From what I have seen of events like this, you are practically guaranteed to walk out with some new prospects.
Like most of those attending, I was overwhelmed and excited about the enthusiastic response I received. I can still remember how smug I felt as I walked out with a pocket over-flowing with business cards. Fifty-four people had responded to my pitch. I thought I'd had a great afternoon.
But then came the follow-up. Of the 54 cards I took back to the office, only seven turned out to be worthwhile leads. I was disappointed to find that relatively few leads panned out, but I figured that lots of people got sucked into the frenzy of the game and threw their business card at every halfway decent professional who came their way.
What really upset me was that the folks I contacted were actually surprised to hear from me. Follow-up is not fun, but without it, all of your networking efforts are a huge waste of time.
A Forgotten Art
As if to emphasize the point that follow-up is becoming a forgotten art, none of the twenty or so people that I had expressed an interest in bothered to contact me. Not a single phone call. No fax, no E-mail, not even a brochure in my mailbox - nothing from any of them. The really frustrating part is that I had an immediate need for five or six of those people, and either a referral or a future need for the others. Unfortunately for all of us, no one made an effort to follow up and follow through.
Your competition may be no different from these networking slugs. If you follow the rules listed below, you'll stand out from the crowd and turn networking contacts into opportunities - and maybe even jobs.
Take immediate action. Reconnect as soon as possible. I recommend acting on every new lead within 24 hours - sooner if it's a hot one. An advertising specialties person I know once slipped away from a function before it was half over, because he wanted to move quickly to encourage an exciting prospect. When the meeting ended and the prospect returned to her office, she found a note in her fax in-basket from my friend. The target was thrilled by the immediate response, and my friend was thrilled to land a great new account! The same kind of approach can work for jobseekers.
Turn your car into a stationery store. In her book, The Personal Touch, master publicist Terri Williams recommends sending new contacts a handwritten follow-up note: It makes a great impression - especially when it arrives right after you meet. To guarantee that her name crosses her new contact's desk in a timely manner, Terri stocks the glove compartment in her car with blank notecards and stamps. After meeting someone, she goes back to her car and jots a quick note, then mails it on her way back to the office. Her contacts are delighted to hear from her so soon after they meet.
Tell your new contact what you're going to do - and when. When people talk about why they fail to follow up on leads, they often talk about feeling awkward about making the next contact. Not knowing how a newfound contact is going to react, they feel anxious and put off making the call. First, let me tell you that the only major reactions you are likely to encounter are surprise and appreciation.
And here's a way to make following up easier and more comfortable. When you meet a new contact, ask what would be the best way for you to follow up. It's perfectly acceptable to say, "I would love to talk to you further about ways we could work together. Would it be OK if I called you?" And when the person says yes, ask, "What day and time would be most convenient for you?" Reassure them that you'll be in touch on the agreed time and day - and then just do it. This method not only gives you permission to re-connect, it also sets up an expectation in your potential client and therefore creates a sense of accountability. You're much more likely to make the effort to follow up if you know someone's expecting to hear from you!
Always reintroduce yourself. How many times have you picked up the phone, only to have someone blurt out their name and then launch into a conversation - while you're still trying to figure out who they are and how you know them. Your new prospect may be the center of your universe, but the feeling may not be mutual. However you follow up, on the phone, on paper, or on the Internet, do your new contact a favor by explaining who you are, where you met, and what you talked about.
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A few months ago, I blocked off an afternoon to attend a "leads game" at a local chamber of commerce. I have facilitated such games in the past, and I thought that being a participant would be both fun and productive. From what I have seen of events like this, you are practically guaranteed to walk out with some new prospects.
Like most of those attending, I was overwhelmed and excited about the enthusiastic response I received. I can still remember how smug I felt as I walked out with a pocket over-flowing with business cards. Fifty-four people had responded to my pitch. I thought I'd had a great afternoon.
But then came the follow-up. Of the 54 cards I took back to the office, only seven turned out to be worthwhile leads. I was disappointed to find that relatively few leads panned out, but I figured that lots of people got sucked into the frenzy of the game and threw their business card at every halfway decent professional who came their way.
What really upset me was that the folks I contacted were actually surprised to hear from me. Follow-up is not fun, but without it, all of your networking efforts are a huge waste of time.
A Forgotten Art
As if to emphasize the point that follow-up is becoming a forgotten art, none of the twenty or so people that I had expressed an interest in bothered to contact me. Not a single phone call. No fax, no E-mail, not even a brochure in my mailbox - nothing from any of them. The really frustrating part is that I had an immediate need for five or six of those people, and either a referral or a future need for the others. Unfortunately for all of us, no one made an effort to follow up and follow through.
Your competition may be no different from these networking slugs. If you follow the rules listed below, you'll stand out from the crowd and turn networking contacts into opportunities - and maybe even jobs.
Take immediate action. Reconnect as soon as possible. I recommend acting on every new lead within 24 hours - sooner if it's a hot one. An advertising specialties person I know once slipped away from a function before it was half over, because he wanted to move quickly to encourage an exciting prospect. When the meeting ended and the prospect returned to her office, she found a note in her fax in-basket from my friend. The target was thrilled by the immediate response, and my friend was thrilled to land a great new account! The same kind of approach can work for jobseekers.
Turn your car into a stationery store. In her book, The Personal Touch, master publicist Terri Williams recommends sending new contacts a handwritten follow-up note: It makes a great impression - especially when it arrives right after you meet. To guarantee that her name crosses her new contact's desk in a timely manner, Terri stocks the glove compartment in her car with blank notecards and stamps. After meeting someone, she goes back to her car and jots a quick note, then mails it on her way back to the office. Her contacts are delighted to hear from her so soon after they meet.
Tell your new contact what you're going to do - and when. When people talk about why they fail to follow up on leads, they often talk about feeling awkward about making the next contact. Not knowing how a newfound contact is going to react, they feel anxious and put off making the call. First, let me tell you that the only major reactions you are likely to encounter are surprise and appreciation.
And here's a way to make following up easier and more comfortable. When you meet a new contact, ask what would be the best way for you to follow up. It's perfectly acceptable to say, "I would love to talk to you further about ways we could work together. Would it be OK if I called you?" And when the person says yes, ask, "What day and time would be most convenient for you?" Reassure them that you'll be in touch on the agreed time and day - and then just do it. This method not only gives you permission to re-connect, it also sets up an expectation in your potential client and therefore creates a sense of accountability. You're much more likely to make the effort to follow up if you know someone's expecting to hear from you!
Always reintroduce yourself. How many times have you picked up the phone, only to have someone blurt out their name and then launch into a conversation - while you're still trying to figure out who they are and how you know them. Your new prospect may be the center of your universe, but the feeling may not be mutual. However you follow up, on the phone, on paper, or on the Internet, do your new contact a favor by explaining who you are, where you met, and what you talked about.
Job Vacancy , Indonesia Job , Job Indonesia
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