Are you getting a little lazy? I’m referring to the recent practice I’ve noticed of people attending professional events without having business cards with them.
It’s actually a bit shocking to me.
I attended a networking event last week (with a stack of business cards in my purse) and as I met people during the cocktail hour, after a short conversation, I pulled out my business cards to share. Almost every person had the same reaction: Oh, I didn’t bring my cards.
Without being too sassy, what I wanted to say was, “Do you know what a businessperson is without business cards? OUT of business!” But I restrained myself.
Previously I have attended events where people have said to me, “we don’t have business cards – let’s connect on LinkedIn.”
Using LinkedIn as your only way to connect at an event is not a well thought out strategy. Once you connect or share your contact information with someone via LinkedIn, how will you remember them? Can you track your contacts by date and place you met? I don’t think so.
The benefit of going “old school” with paper business cards, is that you have in your hands a visual memory of someone you met. You can write the date and place you met them on the back. When you get back to your office, you can add their information to your contact management system (you have one, right?). You can send them a follow up email or handwritten note to remind them of where you met and initiate a conversation.
And you can add them to your stack of business cards on your desk, filed by date, or business type, or whatever your system is, and you will have their card at your fingertips when you need it.
And speaking of following up – how soon is TOO SOON to follow up? I have one client whose business development representative told me he always gives people he met at conventions and events a few weeks to settle back into their office before he contacts them again. He doesn’t want to bother them right away.
That doesn’t make me think he is being thoughtful. It makes me think he is disorganized and lazy.
What message do you send to someone with your follow up? If you follow up the same day or the next day after you meet, then the message you are sending is “organized, hungry, hardworking”. If you wait a few weeks until after a trade show, meeting or phone call, the message you are sending is “I’m too busy to make you a priority, disorganized and not a hustler.”
How you do anything is how you do everything.
As you get ready to attend your next networking event, trade show or conference, get those business cards ready. You never know when you will meet your next big prospect or referral source.
Onward and upward,
Executive Coaching and Consulting for business CEOs, Owners and Presidents
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