How to Follow Up After a Networking Event Without Being Awkward About It
Attending a networking event is only half the work. The other half is what you do afterward. Following up after meeting someone is one of the most important steps in building a professional relationship, yet it is also the step most people skip or handle poorly.
Done right, a follow-up can turn a brief conversation into a lasting connection. Done poorly, or not at all, and the interaction is forgotten within a week. This guide covers what to do after a networking event to make sure your new connections actually go somewhere.
Follow Up Quickly
The most important rule when following up is timing. You should reach out within 24 to 48 hours of the event while the interaction is still fresh for both of you.
Waiting too long makes a response less likely and makes the follow-up feel forced. The sooner you reach out, the more natural it feels to the other person.
Choose the Right Platform
Where you follow up depends on the nature of the connection and where the conversation is most likely to continue.
LinkedIn is the best option for most professional follow-ups. If the conversation was more casual and you exchanged social media handles, following up there works too. Email is a good choice if the conversation was in-depth and you have their contact information. When in doubt, LinkedIn is the safest and most widely accepted option for professional networking.
Keep Your Message Short and Specific
A follow-up message does not need to be long. In most cases, a short message that references something specific from your conversation will get a better response than a lengthy one.
Your message should cover three things: where you met, something specific you talked about, and a reason for staying in touch. Mentioning a specific detail from the conversation shows that you were genuinely paying attention and makes the message feel personal rather than copied and pasted.
Here is an example of a follow-up that works:
"Hi [Name], it was great meeting you at [Event]. I really enjoyed our conversation about [Topic]. I'd love to stay connected and keep the conversation going."
That is all you need. Anything beyond that risks feeling like too much for an initial message.
Follow Through on Any Commitments
If you told someone during the event that you would send them something, make an introduction, or share a resource, include it in your follow-up message.
Not following through on something you said you would do leaves a bad first impression. Following through, on the other hand, immediately sets you apart as someone dependable, which is one of the most valuable things you can show early in a professional relationship.
Do Not Lead With a Sales Pitch
A follow-up message is not the place to pitch your services or push for an immediate business deal. Leading with a sales pitch after a first meeting tends to put people off and signals that the connection was never genuine to begin with.
The purpose of the follow-up is to continue the relationship, not to close a deal. If there is a relevant business opportunity later on, it will come up naturally once you have built some trust.
Handle Non-Responses the Right Way
Not everyone will respond to your follow-up, and that is normal. If you do not hear back within five to seven days, it is fine to send one more message. Keep it short, something along the lines of checking in to make sure your first message did not get missed.
If there is still no response after the second message, move on. Sending multiple follow-up messages after hearing nothing back will not improve your chances and may come across as pushy.
Stay in Touch Over Time
A single follow-up message is a starting point, not a relationship. If you want a connection to grow into something meaningful, you need to keep in contact over time in a way that feels natural rather than forced.
This can be as simple as engaging with their content occasionally, sharing something relevant when it comes up, or sending a short message every few months to check in. The goal is to stay on their radar without being overbearing.
Most people skip this step entirely, which is why so many networking connections never go past the first introduction. Keeping in touch consistently over time is what turns an acquaintance into a real professional relationship.
Key Takeaways
Follow up within 24 to 48 hours while the interaction is still fresh.
Choose the platform that fits the connection, with LinkedIn being the default for most professional relationships.
Keep your follow-up short and reference something specific from your conversation.
Follow through right away on anything you committed to during the event.
Do not use the follow-up as a chance to pitch. Focus on building the relationship first.
Send one follow-up if you do not hear back. After that, move on.
Staying in touch consistently over time is what turns a networking contact into a lasting professional connection.
Following up after a networking event does not have to be complicated. A timely, specific, and genuine message is all it takes to keep a conversation going. The people who do this consistently are the ones who get the most out of every event they attend.
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