After your next conference, social media tools can help you follow up with the people you really want to make a part of your professional network. Try these strategies:
- Install a business-card-processing app on your smartphone that can scan cards with a camera and convert them to contact information.
- If you meet someone and hit it off, connect right away. Send your pal a tweet from your smartphone right then and there.
- At the end of each trip, make a “keeper” pile of business cards for people you want to stay in touch with, then use your business card app to capture them.
- Use your business card app’s social networking function to send each person a LinkedIn connection invitation.
- Send your “keepers” a personal e-mail saying how much you enjoyed meeting them and suggesting when or how you’ll follow up.
