If at all possible, we highly recommend that you send a handwritten note to each person you met at your networking events. You may want to send this on a unique piece of stationery which contains your contact information and tagline.
Most people do not send handwritten notes, so you will stand out from the competition, and people will remember you more than if you send e-mail. This gesture is a very wonderful and tangible way of letting folks know how much you enjoyed meeting them. Studies also reveal that when an individual receives a handwritten note, he or she will show this card to at least 3 people. People who are successful in sales spend every day writing thank-you notes or notes of kindness to each person he or she meets.
Here is an example of a brief follow-up note. You do not want to “gush” over the person, yet you do want to let him or her know how much you enjoyed meeting them and that you would like to follow up by taking him or her to lunch.
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Dear Susan,
It was so great to meet you last night at the Chamber After Hours.
I enjoyed hearing about the work you do with the Smith Consulting Group, and I look forward to seeing you again in the near future. I will call you next week, as I would like to treat you to lunch.
Best Wishes,
Joan Anderson
Anderson Consulting
“Dedicated to Helping Business Owners Make More Money in Less Time”
www.yourdomain.com
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If you cannot send a note of thanks to each person you met at your networking event, at minimum, send an e-mail to everyone you met, simply letting them know that you enjoyed meeting them and that you would like to treat them to lunch.
The key is this: In your e-mail signature, offer something free to get these men and women to sign up for your mailing list. The letter can look like this:
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Dear Susan,
It was so wonderful to meet you at the Chamber After Hours on Tuesday evening at Forrest Creek.
I am writing, as I would welcome the opportunity to take you to lunch over the next week. Are you available Wednesday or Thursday from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.? If you will, please e-mail me with the time that is best for you and where you would like to meet, and I will reply to you as quickly as possible.
Best to you in your sales over the next month! I look forward to hearing about your results over lunch.
Warmly,
Joan Anderson
Anderson Consulting
The Top 15 Areas Where Businesses Fall Short -
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“Dedicated to Helping Business Owners Make More Money in Less Time”
www.yourdomain.com
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NOTE: I have extended an invitation to lunch…no selling in the letter! (Big no, no!) I then made it easy for Susan to make a plan to meet me for lunch…giving her days and times to choose from.
In your e-mail signature, you may have many options for Susan to get to know more about you. For instance, you may have something they can engage in virtually to begin developing a deeper relationship with you:
- Top Ten Article
- e-Course
- Blog
- Website
- Newsletter
There is a good chance Susan has never visited your website or read your Top Ten Article, yet once she sees the e-mail signature, there is a good chance she will find out more about you.
Ultimately we are looking to establish and deepen relationships. By standing apart from the crowd you never know when you may discover a new friend, collaborator, or business partner.
