AFTER THE EVENT:
What does a JetNetter™ do with
all those new Business Cards?
JetNetting ™ With Heshie Segal
Heshie's Bio
I am frequently on the road two to three
weeks a month. Most of the time, it is simply awesome to meet dozens
and even hundreds of new people. For people looking to increase
their data base, this would be considered a real gold mine. Think of it, a new stash of business
cards, new leads, new connections, new relationships.
As a JetNetter™, the gold mine is only a gold mine if there is time to follow up. In
fact, my biggest dilemma happens to be the large number of business
cards I DO collect and how to follow up in a timely manner.
So, I sit looking at the fruits of my latest three week jaunt. First I separate the cards by trip or
event. Next I place the business cards into small, (3x4 or 3x5)
plastic bags. After that comes the “why” I should get back to each
person. This requires more bags…and it adds a new dimension to the
term “bag lady”. How do I divide my new cards?
- I have a third party connection for them.
- They have a similar connection for me.
- Someone needs their card and I want to pass it along.
- I want to send a note or make a phone call to effective chairpersons or committee members and/or speakers
who merit acknowledgment.
- I have no real reason to keep their card except that I like them and want to keep in touch (and by the
way, I don't ask someone for a card unless I really want it. I don't want someone to waste their cards on me if I am not going to do
something with it.)
The cards are now divided and here is the process I use for follow up:
- I send a short e-mail to those I knew before the trip and mention something that was said during our
conversation, or I follow up on a request they, or I might have made
of each other. Not all of this is based on business. I feel strongly
about the personal connection, just keeping in touch and letting
people know I am happy to have seen them. (By the way, if I see
someone and am not inclined to continue the relationship for one
reason or another, I do not send a note and, of course, I do not get
an updated business card. To me authenticity is paramount.)
- I send an e-mail to those people I met for the first time and who I want to get to know better but did not
have time during the event where we met. This is just an initial
opening. If they e-mail back, it signals the start of a
relationship.
- I send a postcard (with my design, identical to my business card and stationary) to those people with
whom I felt a strong connection or wanted them to know that I
thought enough of them to send a postcard which is a step beyond the
e-mail.
- I send a postcard or a letter on my business stationary to the chairpersons or committee members of the
individual events if they did a great job. We are all volunteers and
it is a simple, important and gracious act to acknowledge the
efforts of others.
- If there are speakers who I personally feel did an outstanding job or at least gave a presentation in which
I learned something that was a real "keeper", I send a postcard or
letter to them as well. In my note, I include a particular learning
point. It helps them for future presentations and it lets them know
I really care. I have made wonderful friends by doing this. (Again,
it has to be authentic. To build a relationship on false praise does
not work.)
If you have other things that you do with all those business cards after
attending an event, please let me know.
Contact Heshie at HeshieS@TheNationalNetworker.com
or via
TNNW Blog.
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