Most business owners meet great connections every day. They exchange business cards and hope the relationship begins. However, the growth of those relationships is left to chance.
Wayne Weld is a local business relationship marketing expert and author of the networking book βHello, My Name Is Wayne.β According to Wayneβs book, the fortune is in the follow-up. The vast majority of business owners do not follow up after the initial contact, and the relationship never develops.
SCORE interviewed Mr. Weld, and this is what we learned:
Do not start the process of building new relationships without an effective follow-up plan. There are no shortcuts, and consistent perseverance can be handsomely rewarded. The vast majority of relationships require at least three follow-up touches before any true value is exchanged.
Wayne recommends a scheduled follow-up plan that you must put on your calendar. A successful system outlines the specific actions you will take periodically throughout the year.
Wayne has many great follow-up suggestions including:
1. Send a hand-written gratitude card.
2. Schedule a one-on-one meeting for coffee or lunch.
3. Drop by their office with a book or item of value.
4. Send them referrals as often as possible.
5. Write a review for their business on a social review site like Yelp.
6. Introduce them to someone who can send them business.
7. Invite them to an educational seminar or networking event.
Wayneβs book has an abundance of great follow-up ideas. Before investing your time and energy into building new relationships, develop an effective follow-up system to capture all of the potential business.
“Hello, My Name is Wayne” can be ordered at Amazon.com.
