Networking events are a staple in the recruitment landscape, serving as a useful platform for initiating new business relationships with prospective clients and candidates. However, the real challenge often begins after the event - how do you turn those brief encounters into lasting connections? In this article, we’ll discuss some effective strategies for following up post-networking events, ensuring that you cultivate and maintain long-term recruitment relationships for your brand.
Why You Should Follow Up After Networking Events
There are many ways to get the most out of networking events, but none are as important as the follow-up. Below are several reasons why diligent follow-up is essential:
- Solidifying First Impressions
Networking events are bustling environments where you get to brush shoulders with industry leaders and peers alike. A thoughtful follow-up is helpful as it reinforces a positive first impression with the people you meet. It transitions a brief encounter into a memorable interaction, ensuring that the conversation doesn't end once the event does. With this approach, you can get the most out of these events.
- Establishing Professionalism
Prompt and personalised follow-up communications demonstrate professionalism and dedication. They reflect an individual's commitment to building and maintaining professional relationships, which is a core aspect of the recruitment industry. This practice sets the tone for the kind of reliable and attentive service potential clients and candidates can expect moving forward.
- Building Trust and Rapport
Regular, thoughtful follow-ups help in nurturing a sense of trust and rapport with new contacts. By showing genuine interest in the issues and topics that matter to them, recruiters can create a foundation of trust - a critical element when dealing with clients and candidates making significant career decisions.
- Staying Top of Mind
The recruitment industry is often about timing - being in the right place at the right time with the right candidate or opportunity. Effective follow-ups ensure that you remain at the forefront of a contact’s mind, increasing the likelihood that they will think of you when relevant needs or opportunities arise.
- Driving Business Opportunities
Every follow-up is a chance to further articulate the value you bring to the table. Whether it's by offering industry insights, sharing relevant candidate profiles, or presenting unique job opportunities, each follow-up is a step towards cementing a productive business relationship. This proactive engagement can directly influence decision-making processes in your favour.
- Enhancing Network Value
By consistently following up, you help enhance individual relationships and also the overall value of your professional network. Each cultivated relationship can lead to introductions to other potential clients, candidates, and industry influencers, exponentially expanding your reach and influence.
The Importance of Timeliness and Personalisation
Recruitment has a reputation for being fast-paced, so it’s no surprise that you should follow up with contacts in a timely manner. Don’t wait too long - but equally, don’t come off as too pushy by bombarding them right away. As you’ve already had the first interaction with this contact, you should also make sure that when reaching out you make things as personal as possible.
- Acting Quickly
The first rule of effective follow-up is promptness. Send a follow-up email or LinkedIn message within 24 to 48 hours of the event. This immediate action helps keep the interaction fresh in both parties’ memories and shows eagerness and professionalism.
- Personal Touch
Always personalise each follow-up communication. Refer back to specific topics discussed during the networking event to remind the recipient of who you are and the connection you made. This helps to personalise the message and also demonstrates attentiveness and genuine interest in building a relationship. For example:
"It was a pleasure discussing your recent expansion into the Manchester market yesterday. I’ve thought further about what you said concerning your need for experienced project managers, and I believe I have several candidates who could meet your needs."
The Follow-Up Sequence
Making use of a tried-and-tested follow-up sequence is a smart way to handle these interactions. By establishing a sequence, you have a clear process for staying in contact with individuals, which in turn helps you get the most out of your networking events. Below is a general example of a follow-up sequence that you can adopt:
- Initial Contact
Your first follow-up, ideally an email, should be concise, friendly, and professional. Include a thank you, a personal reference from your conversation, and an invitation to continue the discussion.
- Ongoing Engagement
If the initial follow-up does not elicit a response, don’t hesitate to send a second message a week later. This email can be a bit more direct, perhaps including a piece of industry news or a report that could be of interest to the recipient based on your previous discussion.
- Regular Updates
Continue to keep in touch by sharing relevant industry updates, candidate news, or upcoming events through monthly or quarterly emails. These communications should provide value to the recipient and reinforce your position as a knowledgeable and resourceful professional.
Leveraging Social Media
In addition to traditional email follow-ups, social media platforms, especially LinkedIn, are invaluable tools for maintaining and cultivating professional relationships. Engage with your new contacts by:
- Connecting on LinkedIn with a personalised invitation.
- Sharing and commenting on their posts periodically.
- Posting relevant content that aligns with the interests you both share, tagging them if appropriate.
Organising and Tracking Follow-Ups
Maintaining a structured approach to follow-ups is also useful when managing multiple new contacts. Utilise CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software to organise contact details, log conversations, and schedule follow-up reminders. This systematic approach ensures no potential connection slips through the cracks and allows for measuring the success rate of various follow-up strategies.
Get More Out of Your Networking Efforts With Follow-Ups
Effective follow-up is an art that requires timeliness, personalisation, and strategic persistence. For recruitment professionals, mastering this art is essential to converting fleeting networking encounters into robust, long-lasting business relationships. By employing a thoughtful and systematic approach to follow-up, you can enhance your professional reputation, build meaningful connections, and ultimately, achieve greater success in the recruitment industry.
If you’re looking to get more out of your networking efforts in recruitment, then CNA International would love to help you. We can provide you with a wealth of industry-specific resources that can help your recruitment company flourish. To learn more, read about the CNA Partnership Programme or contact us today.
CNA International
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