“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