How to Write A Perfect ‘Touch Base’ Email When Networking
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After you have attended a networking event, you want to follow up with your prospects. One of the best ways to do this is to send an email to touch base with your new connection. In this article, we will tell you how to write the perfect follow-up email.
What To Mention in Your ‘Touch Base’ Email
Provide Value for the Prospect
Being of value to your network is a great way to facilitate your networking progress. If you provide research data that is beneficial to your industry, that adds value to your business. You can add value to your connections via email by sending useful information and materials. This can also pique the interest of your connections about your products or services.
This paragraph of this email can read as follows:
“I hope you are well. I have not heard back from you and would like to offer you any assistance you may need. The last time we spoke, you showed interest in XXX. I am attaching some materials that may assist you with the issue your company is currently facing.”
Get your prospect’s attention and interest in these materials by mentioning a past situation where this information had helped someone else.
Inquire About Their Business
People love to talk about themselves and their business. Reaching out to a prospect and showing an interest in their company helps them feel appreciated. In your email, you can comment about nearly anything they have done recently to promote their business.
“I saw your recent post on Linkedin about your product launch. Congratulations on the new opportunity. I am looking forward to watching your business grow.”
You want people to follow the rule of reciprocity and think of you whenever they have an issue. Mention any helpful services you may have after complimenting them on their own.
Provide Context of Your Previous Meeting
While networking, you tend to meet many people, and it can be difficult to remember everyone you meet. It is crucial that you include the context of your meeting to your email recipient. At the beginning of the email, remind the recipient where and how you met, and provide a takeaway from your conversation to convince them that you were paying attention during your conversation.
This portion of your email can read as follows:
I hope you enjoyed your time at the event. I enjoyed our discussion about my (products and/or services.) I have forwarded the following attachments,which can be valuable resources for any further questions you may have.
Make A Request
Occasionally, the tables may turn and you may be the one needing some help. A “touch base” email can also be used to reach out to a colleague when you need assistance or information. This builds trust in your network when you make a request to any of your quality connections.
For example, you can make a request via email for constructive feedback:
“I need your help to improve the quality of my services. If you have a few minutes, I would like to get some feedback from you on your experience with our company. In the link below, you can also read what our other customers are saying about their experience.”
Invite Them To An Event
If you and your colleague are in the same industry, invite them to a networking event. If the event is at a reasonable distance from your prospect, ask them to attend in person. If there is a considerable distance, you can alternatively invite them to a webinar or another online networking event. Set up this meeting without being too aggressive about it, as that is a sure way to make them lose interest in you fast.
I am attending the World Travel Market next month. I would be interested in setting up a meeting with you if you plan on attending. If you cannot make it in person, perhaps we can connect on Zoom?
If your recipient decides to do a virtual meeting, send them an email invitation immediately. You can send an email for a webinar invitation, which includes images and an outline for the meeting. To make it even easier to attend virtually, you can add an engaging call to action (CTA) to grab their attention.
Keep in mind that most prospects may say no several times before they come on board. When you have persistence and keep following up via email, it will eventually work, even after several negative responses.
Promotora Systems, Inc. has many coaching programs that can show you how to develop your business with networking. Contact us today so we can assist you with all your network management needs.