follow up methods | Dr. Ivan Misner®

29Nov2012

Preparation & Follow Up–the Two Keys to Referral Successstring(67) "Preparation & Follow Up–the Two Keys to Referral Success"

In this brief video, filmed at the 2012 BNI® International Directors’ Conference in early November, I talk with Terry Hamill, a respected business networking expert based in Europe. Terry explains two important keys for maximum effectiveness and success in business referral generation–preparation and follow up.

Terry advises that the true gold is in the follow up and that the most successful networkers use the strongest follow-up methods; he also offers a few important tips for preparation prior to attending networking meetings and events.

Do you have a favorite follow-up method or a highly effective preparation tactic that you use prior to attending networking functions? If so, we’d love to hear about it! What works well for you could really help other people in their journey to networking success so, by all means, please feel free to share your favored methods and tactics in the comment forum below. Thanks!

31Jan2011

Sorting Out Who’s Whostring(27) "Sorting Out Who’s Who"

So, let’s say you’ve just returned from a networking event where you met a lot of new people and now you have a pocketful of business cards that you’re not sure what to do with. What’s your first order of business? Your first order of business is to sort out who’s who.

You need to separate the people you think might become new clients or referral partners right now from the ones who might be valuable contacts sometime in the future but not right away. Let’s call the first group your A list, the rest your B list. (Sounds kind of Hollywood, doesn’t it? :)) When you enter them into your contact database, labeling each contact as part of group “A” or “B” would be good to include (along with type of business, address, phone number, event where you met, etc.).

Now that you’ve got your contacts filed away neatly, take a look first at your B list. You want these folks to know you enjoyed meeting them, and you want to keep the door open for doing business with them later on if a good opportunity arises. You can do this with a quick note by either e-mail or snail mail.* If you find you need to reconnect with one of these people at a later time, you’ll at least have some traction in the relationship simply because you followed up with a quick e-mail.

Now, what about your A list? These are people who have immediate potential as referral partners. You need to follow up with them quickly–within a few days, before you drop off their radars. First, initiate a “coffee connection” with each of your new contacts, a follow-up meeting where you can get to know her and find out how you can help her. Anything short of trying to find ways to help her will generally be treated as a sales call instead of a relationship-building contact. To ask for this first meeting, either a handwritten note or an e-mail is acceptable.*

At this point, you may be asking, “What about the people I meet who aren’t potential clients and aren’t in a field that can refer business to me? Should I follow up with them anyway?” Absolutely! You never know whom other people know; even a quick little “Nice to meet you” e-mail is better than not doing anything at all and hoping these people remember you later when you discover a need to do business with one of them.

Now that you know how to sort out who’s who, be sure to do this each and every time with the business cards you gather in your daily networking activities and, I guarantee you, you will start to see greater results from your networking efforts.

*Come back on Thursday to read a blog entry with specific examples of what your follow up notes to group A contacts and group B contacts should say–I’ll give you two free follow-up note templates so you’ll have no excuses for not following up with your new contacts. Trust me, following up couldn’t be any easier than this!

3Jun2010

What’s the Best Way to Follow Up?string(39) "What’s the Best Way to Follow Up?"

June 3, 2010

Ivan Misner

best techniques, card, e-mail, Follow up, follow up methods, handwritten note, managing people, phone call Business, Follow up, Management, Networking 5

When I taught management-theory classes at a Southern California college, students would sometimes say to me, “Look, you’ve just walked me through ten different theories of management. What’s the best one to use?”

I would answer, “The one you consistently apply. Why would I say this? The reason there are different ways of managing people is because people are different. They have different personalities, different approaches, and different techniques. The tried-and-true method that you consistently and effectively apply is the one that’s going to work best for you.

Follow-up is a similar issue. For example, I know that handwritten notes are considered to be the best way to follow up. The problem is . . . I just don’t do them consistently. Therefore, are they really the best technique for me? No, because I know I’m not going to do them regularly. I prefer to follow up with an e-mail message, a phone call, or better yet, a card using something like the SendoutCards.com system.

The truth is, almost any follow-up method will work if you use it well and consistently. The best method for you is whichever one you are most comfortable with and can do every time the need arises.

The reason is simple: whatever you do, you’ve got to do it well, and if you feel obligated to keep doing something that you don’t like to do, you won’t do it well–at least not consistently. And, a late-arriving, clumsy, or half-hearted note in your own messy handwriting is going to make a worse impression than a less “proper” but more heartfelt and immediate telephone call.