Follow-Up Is a Competitive Advantage

“I know someone you should meet.” “I have a great opportunity for you.” “You should come to this event.” “I’ll send you that introduction.”

People usually mean these things when they say them. And then life happens.

Recently I went to a networking picnic in Central Park with about 20 women. I had good conversations. People offered introductions and ideas. There were genuine opportunities in the room. Several days later, nobody had followed up.

Was I offended? No. Because their follow-up isn’t their job. It’s mine.

They went home and returned to their businesses, clients, children, partners, dogs, deadlines and everything else occupying their brains. The fact that someone sincerely wanted to introduce me to a potential client doesn’t mean that introduction remained at the top of her list the next morning.

The simplest business lesson I know

If you want the opportunity, take responsibility for the follow-up.

1. Send the email.
2. Remind the person what you discussed.
3. Make it easy for them to help you.
4. Follow up again if necessary.

There’s a strange fear that this makes you pushy. Certainly, there is a point at which follow-up can become annoying. But most people aren’t anywhere near that point. They give up after one message — or never send the first one.

“Professional follow-up isn’t pestering. It’s execution. And because so few people do it consistently, it becomes a competitive advantage.”

You don’t need a complicated system. You need a system.

You need somewhere reliable to capture the person, the conversation, the promised action and the next step. A CRM is great. A disciplined spreadsheet can work. Your memory is not a system.

Relationships create possibilities. Follow-up turns some of those possibilities into business. Don’t wait for everyone else to remember your opportunity — they’re busy remembering their own.