If you're a student of networking you should already know how critically important follow-up is. However, from what I've seen of most people's follow-up it's not nearly enough. Here are some thoughts to help you get much much more from your efforts.

For purposes of this example let's assume that you've met someone at an event, made a good connection and would like to schedule a face to face meeting to further your relationship.

As always it's best to think about your efforts from the perspective of the other person. The first thing you should probably assume is that they're very busy and have more than enough on their plate (most of us do). They're also being bombarded with dozens, or more likely hundreds, of e-mails everyday. People are calling, texting, sending them messages on Facebook, and their significant other and other members of their family have things they need help with as well. Gosh, this is starting to sound a little too familiar. Put simply: People are BUSY!

From what I've seen most often someone will send one e-mail to the person they met requesting a meeting. This is actually a huge step that the majority don't even take. So this person is to be applauded for taking the first step in following-up. Unfortunately this is typically the last step as well, unless maybe they make one phone call to follow-up their e-mail.

If they don't hear back after this intitial attempt that's typically the end of it. More than likely this is because they don't have a good system for remembering to follow-up beyond this initial attempt. The result is simply a lost opportunity. It's likely that this isn't because the other person wasn't interested in getting together. Rather they were likely just busy and this single attempt simply fell off of their radar as it was pushed down the screen in their e-mail inbox by the next 100 e-mails that arrived over the course of the next few hours or days.

If I'm incredibly transparent with you, which I always try to be here, I have to tell you that I will actually use this as a test. When someone is trying to get a meeting with me that may not be a big priority, I will sometimes either ignore the first attempt (this typically isn't intentional) or more than likely ask them to own the follow-up and reach out to me at a time that will hopefully be more convenient for me. This weeds out those individuals who don't follow-up and make good on their commitments. I'm not interested in working with those individuals. I want to build relationships with those who are all over it and make things happen. A little harsh? Maybe, but I doubt that I'm the only one that has this kind of vetting system. I've met other executives who only offer a first meeting time VERY early in the morning so as not to disrupt their busy days. Only the most committed ever show up.

So the point of all of this if you hadn't already figured it out from the title of the post is that it takes way more than just one touch to follow-up effectively. Mix up your messages. Learn to understand how the other person likes to communicate. I'm finding more and more people who barely look at e-mail anymore and instead prefer to communicate through Facebook. When I know that I communicate with them on Facebook knowing that I'm just wasting time and energy sending e-mails to them. Personally I'm not a big fan of people calling me, because it's disruptive, and voicemail and I don't get along very well. I'd much prefer and e-mail or text when a more immediate answer is needed or I can answer in just a few words.

It's always about the other person. Learn about the best time in their schedules for them to meet and do your best to accomodate those times.

Is this more work? Absolutely, but how long does it really take to make a few notes on your calendar to remind you to send a follow-up note or make a phone call and then to actually do those things. A few minutes? Sure it might be 300%-400% more work than the one touch approach. But that single touch only took 3 minutes anway. Heaven forbid you invest 15 or 20 minutes in building an important relationship.

This may have come across a bit more harsh than I'd intended, but it's reality. If you want to get results you've got to do the work, and if you do your results will be exponentially better than those who only take one step.

A journey of a thousand miles may begin with one step, but if you don't take many many many more steps after that first one you're never going to get to your destination.

Happy Networking!