Networking is a great way to build your social capital, and many business owners make it a regular habit. But how often do you really remember the people you meet or important details about them? It's easy to lose track and end up with a stack of useless business cards.
To make sure your networking leads to actual relationships, we asked 10 founders from YEC the following:
Q. What is one creative way you keep track of potential contacts you meet at large industry or networking events?
Their best answers are below:
1. Use a CRM with a Mobile App
We have a mobile app for our CRM that allows us take a picture of a contact's business card and automatically scan it into our CRM along with notes. This helps us remember who we met and how we might be able to help them. As an added bonus, we can even add them to a "follow-up campaign" that automatically sends them a post-event email to keep in touch.
- Patrick Conley, Automation Heroes
2. Download CardMunch
Download and install the CardMunch app to quickly process dozens of business cards and connect with people on LinkedIn.
3. Text Them
I'm a big fan of text messaging. Therefore, I do everything I can to get people's phone numbers into my phone and, more important, get my phone number into theirs. From there, you can start worrying about collecting additional information about the person during future conversations. - Janis Krums, OPPRTUNITY
4. Write Notes
At the end of the day, I make notes for everyone I met. If you can remember a bit about them or possibly brainstorm ideas on how you can help each other, you're more likely to convert the relationship. I also make sure I connect with some of them over LinkedIn so I can nurture the relationship over time -- even if today isn't the right day to do business.
5. Rank and Prioritize
At large networking events or conferences, it’s important to take some time right after to rank or prioritize potential contacts for a quick follow up. Simply shoot them a quick note with a witty or intelligent moment from the conversation to remind them of your discussion.
- Andrew Fayad, eLearning Mind
6. Ditch Business Cards
It's often better to end up with one sincere connection than a set of shallow ones. I started showing up to networking events without business cards, and I loved the results -- a weight was lifted. At the end of the last event I attended, I closed a long conversation by giving the person my name tag slightly jokingly. I didn't get his info, but he contacted me the next day.
- Aman Advani, Ministry of Supply
7. Learn Mnemonic Tricks
Just like there are mnemonic devices for remembering planets and the letters of the musical scale, there are well-established methods for remembering names and faces. Generally, learning how to learn better is one of the most important things you can do -- it's the only thing you can learn that provides exponential returns on your time.
8. Take Notes
Taking notes on important connections via a mobile app is a great aid when developing clients or future partnerships. After recording bio details, discussion points and ideas to pitch for lead or partnership development, the device enables you to put yourself in the other's shoes and get a feel for how you and your idea might be perceived. You'll improve your pitch that way.
9. Set a Follow-Up Meeting
Create an excuse to follow up. When you meet people at an industry or networking event, find out what you can do for them before your next meeting. Maybe it's something silly like meeting for coffee or sending them a great article that might help them, but find something in your conversation to reconnect on. This will put you in touch again, and it shows you were listening.
- Sarah Schupp, UniversityParent
10. Take Pictures
At large events, use your phone to take pictures. If possible, take pictures of contacts' faces and enter their information directly into your contact list. Or, you can take pictures of people's business cards to avoid pockets bulging with tiny paper squares.
