From Handshake to Follow Up, A Better Way to Build Real Connections
How to turn a one-minute handshake into a relationship that pays off six months later. A repeatable, low-effort system.
7 Mistakes People Make While Networking at Events
Most professionals leave events with twenty cards and zero new clients. The reason is rarely the event. It is what they do, or fail to do, in the first three minutes after meeting someone new.
1. Leading with paper instead of a link
Paper is slow, easy to lose, and tells the other person nothing about you besides your title. Lead with a digital card that opens on a phone with one tap. Read more in our digital vs paper comparison.
2. Pitching before listening
The first 90 seconds should be questions, not a pitch. What brings them to the event. What they are working on. People remember the conversation, not your elevator script.
3. No follow up plan walking in
If you have not decided how you will follow up before you arrive, you will not. Pre-write two messages on your phone. One short ("nice to meet you, here is my card"), one longer for serious leads.
4. Weak personal link
A LinkedIn URL is fine. A Linktree is okay. A messy mix of social handles is bad. A clean digital card with photo, role, and one-tap save is best. More on sharing contact online.
5. Forgetting where you met
By the next morning you cannot remember which event the third person was from. Add a one-line note to every connection on the spot. Use the contact app on your phone or a tool like MyKard Connections that lets you tag and note.
6. Following up too late
The 48-hour rule still holds. After 48 hours your message reads like an afterthought. After a week you are starting from cold. Turning meetings into real connections covers this in depth.
7. Treating every contact as equal
Some people are buyers, some are partners, some are friends. Tag them at the time you meet so you can follow up differently. A "client" tag and a "vendor" tag deserve very different next steps.
The two-minute fix before your next event
- Set up a digital card with QR on your phone home screen.
- Pre-write two follow up message templates.
- Decide on three tags you will use to triage.
- Block 30 minutes the day after the event for follow ups.
FAQ
How many people should I aim to meet at an event?
Quality over quantity. Five real conversations beat fifty cards.
What if I forget to follow up?
Set the calendar reminder when you exchange contact, not later. Future-you will not remember.
Should I always pitch my service?
Only when asked. Networking is a long game.
Set up before your next event
Build a free MyKard. Lead with a link, not a card.
Create your free MyKardMyKard.link, the free digital business card by Kreative Minds.