You're expanding your BD network. How can you effectively nurture potential leads after a networking event?

To effectively nurture potential leads after a networking event: *Follow Up Promptly: Send a personalized message within 24-48 hours. *Personalize Your Message: Mention something specific from your conversation. *Offer Value: Share relevant articles or insights. *Schedule a Meeting: Propose a coffee or virtual meeting to discuss further. *Stay Connected: Connect on LinkedIn and engage with their posts. *Regular Check-Ins: Keep in touch periodically without being pushy. *Track Interactions: Use a CRM to track follow-ups and notes. These steps help maintain relationships and move leads through your pipeline effectively.

As per my experience, nurturing potential leads effectively after a networking event hinges on timely and personalized follow-up. Sending a thoughtful email or message shortly after the event, referencing specific conversations or interests, expressing gratitude, and suggesting next steps such as a follow-up meeting or sharing valuable resources, can greatly impact the relationship. This personal approach fosters trust, boosts memorability, strengthens connections, and showcases professionalism, ultimately turning initial contacts into meaningful business relationships.

I've learned that the cornerstone of nurturing any new connection is a personal and timely follow-up. I always make it a point to reach out within 24-48 hours after the event while the interaction is still fresh in their mind. A quick, personalized email or LinkedIn message goes a long way in making a lasting impression. I also try to mention specific details from our conversation to show that I was attentive and genuinely interested. If appropriate, I often provide something of value in my follow-up, such as an article relevant to our discussion, a YouTube video, or an invitation to a future event. It has helped position me as a resourceful and valuable contact, laying the groundwork for a strong professional relationship.

I think the most important thing is to continue to provide and share value with a sincere attitude. Being altruistic is beneficial to yourself.

After a networking event, effectively nurture potential leads by promptly following up with personalized emails or messages referencing your conversation. Offer value by sharing relevant resources or insights that align with their interests or needs. Schedule a follow-up meeting or call to further discuss collaboration opportunities and maintain regular communication to build a strong relationship over time.

Sustainable connections are all about value creation. Sharing ideas on alliances, talking about new markets and technologies and revenue streams is a great way to build a valuable relationship. By helping each other to keep the cycle going is a great way to build a long lasting person-to-person relationship and staying on top of the list.

Business Development Managers need to engage online as part of their job. It must be part of their overall strategy to network and scheduled in the "To Do" list. "A lot can happen online." By doing this you (the BDM) ar also marketing brand YOU.

One of my early mentors had told me this about making connections and growing network - when you are starting out, you should target to meet 4 new people each day. And after 2-3 months once you have a decent number of connections, you should meet 3 new people and reconnect with 1 and then go to 2 new and 2 existing. And over the years, follow this method and adjust as necessary. The point is consistent follow ups and nurturing is essential in building lasting relationships - it is much more than building just a network.

Companies MUST capture all relevant information into the CRM database. Information / data mining takes a company a long way in strategic planning. For individuals optimizing the CRM output will always be valuable. It takes a bit of fine tuning to adapt and juggle many online and offline activities. A clear cut agenda by the organization leadership will always pay dividends,

In my experience as a Business Development manager across various countries and industries, including IT and O&G, I've learned the importance of framing partnerships in terms of mutual benefits. After a networking event, my follow-ups always highlight how both parties can gain. By clearly articulating the advantages of collaboration and focusing on how we can help each other succeed, I create a foundation for an equitable partnership. This approach often results in positive responses and a genuine willingness to explore opportunities together.

My experience in the SME sector has shown the power of strong relationships in fostering mutually beneficial collaborations. Sharing leads that aren't a a good fit for one company or teaming up for bids are just a couple of examples. However, these collaborations truly blossom into sustainable partnerships when backed by strong contract management that ensures a win-win situation for all involved.