The old adage of “it’s not what you know, but who you know” rings true, particularly in the pharma industry (a smaller world than you would realize). Â While I’ve met many people through my father and my boss, I focus my efforts at conferences to build my own network. Â I’ve found that while it’s easy to meet people, cultivating a relationship is the tricky part – and that’s where writing a strong follow-up note comes in. Â The follow-up is the first step in building the relationship (which I will elaborate on later), and here are my tips on writing a great note.
– write key details from your conversation on the person’s business card –
– follow up promptly. Â 48 hours post-meeting is best, but no longer than a week –
The body of the e-mail should include the following:
Location/event where you met
Reference to the conversation
Proposal of next meeting/interaction – this is most important, as I don’t believe a follow-up e-mail warrants much unless it has a call to action. Â The action can be pure business (partnership opportunities), social (drinks or coffee), or a future meeting at a conference (in this case, another LES event).
Log all contacts, their contact information, and date and type of follow-up sent on a document (I prefer an Excel spreadsheet) and review it monthly. Â It helps me plan my next round of communication, and building the relationship – but that’s for another blog post.
How do you follow up with professional colleagues? Â Leave your tips in the comments section below.
