How to Follow Up After a Networking Event

You had a genuinely good conversation with someone last night. You exchanged contact information, said something like "let's definitely stay in touch," and meant it. Now it is the next morning and you are staring at their LinkedIn profile or business card wondering what on earth you are supposed to say.

This moment is more universal than people admit. The follow-up feels oddly high-stakes for something that is technically just sending a message. You do not want to sound too eager. You do not want to seem like you are pitching something. You do not want to bring up the wrong detail and make it obvious you barely remember the conversation. So you close the tab and tell yourself you will do it later, and later quietly becomes never.

The goal here is not to make following up feel effortless, because it rarely does. The goal is to make it feel human enough that you actually do it.

Within 48 Hours: Act Before the Moment Passes

The single most important thing about following up is timing. Not because there is a magic window that closes forever at the 48-hour mark, but because the longer you wait, the more the conversation fades and the more awkward it starts to feel in your head. Acting while the interaction is still fresh keeps the follow-up feeling like a continuation of something real rather than a cold reach-out to someone you barely remember.

Within 48 hours, do three things: connect on LinkedIn or send a message (pick one channel, not both), reference something specific from your conversation, and make a simple, low-pressure gesture toward continuing it. That is the whole formula.

The specificity piece is what most people skip, and it is the part that matters most. "Great meeting you" is forgettable. "I have been thinking about what you said about [specific thing]" is not. Understanding what networking actually is at its core helps here: it is not about transactions or impressions. It is about continuing a conversation that was worth having.

What to Say: Three Message Templates That Sound Like a Person

Keep these short. A follow-up message is not a cover letter. It is a text from someone you just met who is genuinely glad they met you.

Template 1: The standard follow-up

Hey [Name], it was really great meeting you at [event] last night. I loved what you said about [specific thing you discussed]. Would love to grab coffee sometime and keep the conversation going. No pressure at all, just wanted to reach out while it was fresh.

Template 2: When you offered to send something

Hey [Name], good to meet you last night. As promised, here is [the article / resource / person's contact info] I mentioned. Hope it is useful. And if you ever want to talk more about [topic], I am around.

Template 3: When you connected briefly and want to stay in touch

Hi [Name], we only got to chat for a few minutes at [event] but I really enjoyed meeting you. I would love to find a time to connect properly sometime, even just a quick call. Either way, glad to have crossed paths.

Notice what these messages have in common: they are short, they reference something real, they do not ask for anything significant, and they do not apologize for reaching out. That last part matters more than most people realize.

What Not to Do

Do not pitch. The follow-up message is not the place to introduce your services, share your portfolio, or explain what you do at length. If someone wants to know more, they will ask. The fastest way to undo a good first impression is to turn the follow-up into a sales email.

Do not apologize for reaching out. Phrases like "I hope this is not too forward" or "I know you are probably very busy" immediately undercut the message. You met this person at a networking event. Following up is not an imposition. Own the reach-out.

Do not wait three weeks. If too much time has passed and you are feeling embarrassed about it, send the message anyway and skip the part where you explain why you waited. A slightly late follow-up is infinitely better than none at all. Just pretend the gap was not as long as it was and move on.

Do not follow up on five platforms at once. Pick one channel and use it. Connecting on LinkedIn, sending an email, and then messaging on Instagram in the same week is not just persistence. It is pressure.

How to Keep the Connection Going Beyond the First Message

One exchange does not make a relationship. The point of the follow-up is not to convert someone into a contact the moment you meet them. It is to open a door that you can return to over time.

Building real networking skills means developing habits, not one-off gestures. A few approaches that work well over time: share something relevant when you come across it ("saw this and thought of our conversation"), congratulate people on milestones you notice on LinkedIn, or reach out a few months later just to check in without any specific agenda. These small, consistent touchpoints are what turn an acquaintance into someone who genuinely thinks of you when an opportunity comes up.

The framing to hold onto is this: you are not trying to extract something from this person. You are investing in a relationship that might matter someday, in ways neither of you can predict right now. Non-transactional networking is slower than networking with an agenda, but the connections it produces are far more durable.

If you are someone who knows what to do but struggles to build the consistency around actually doing it, group coaching can be a genuinely useful structure. Having a regular space to practice, reflect, and stay accountable alongside others who are working on the same habits tends to close the gap between knowing and doing in a way that going it alone does not.

Build Stronger Relationships That Drive Real Opportunities

Success in business is built on meaningful relationships, strategic introductions, and the ability to communicate your value clearly. At The Connection Company, we help professionals, teams, and organizations strengthen their networking skills, build authentic connections, and create opportunities that lead to lasting growth. Through workshops, events, and training programs, our goal is to help individuals become more confident, intentional, and effective in how they connect with others.

If following up is the part of networking that tends to fall apart for you, you do not have to build the system alone. Book a free 30-minute discovery call with Galit to talk about what an approach that actually feels natural could look like for you.