How to Keep Track of Networking Efforts

by Dave Delaney on 07/19/2012

tickbox How to Keep Track of Networking EffortsPopular professional networker, Ivan Meisner, knows a thing or two about networking. Meisner really is an expert on the topic.

Recently. Misner wrote a thought-provoking article in Entrepreneur entitled, How a Networking System Can Help Save Time — And Get More Results.

In a survey I conducted of 12,000 people, most of the respondents who credit networking for some of their success said they maintain a system for measuring the dollar value of their networking activity. Conversely, most of the respondents who said that networking played no role in their success had no system for tracking any monetary gains from their participation in networking groups.

Misner includes items to track when networking:

  • The organizations you belong to and the results you are getting from them.
  • The time you spend networking and working your network.
  • The amount of money you’ve made from networking.
  • The people who are sending you referrals and how much of your income they’re responsible for.

I use a simple Excel spreadsheet to keep track of conversations and the people that I meet. I use Google Calendar to set reminders to follow up. In Gmail I use the star feature, so I can keep track of my most important emails to reply to. I have also started using the Re.minder app, a tip from my interview with Julien Smith.

Misner’s original survey included these questions. They are worth considering.

  • Do you track the business you get from networking?
  • Do you have a systematic approach to following up with people?
  • Do you have a systematic approach to staying in contact with people?
  • Do you have a system to track the money you make?

How do you keep track of your networking efforts? Do you keep track at all? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts.

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  • http://bestoked.blogspot.com Luke Stokes

    Wow, this post challenges me. Dave, you’re an amazing networker and great with relationships, so I know you’re doing things right. What challenges me is I like not thinking about relationships in terms of ROI. I know I shouldn’t waste time at every single networking event, and I should prioritize based on the value to myself and my business. But I’m worried this statistical approach takes away from the pure value of just being in relationship.

    I’m just as interested in helping other people as I am from benefiting from their help. You never know what the value of relationship will be years from now, and it certainly doesn’t always come down to $.

    I don’t want to be that guy half-listening to a conversation while scanning the crowd for someone with a “higher score” on my spreadsheet.

    I know these concerns are irrational and that’s not what you or other great networkers do, but the thought is there in my mind just the same.

    Any advice for a newbie networker like me who has these concerns?

    • http://www.davedelaney.me/ Dave Delaney

      No, no. You are quite right to feel this way. I keep track of relationships, so that I can help connect people. I don’t have the best memory, so it helps me remember who I should introduce to each other.

      It also depends on how you manage relationships online. As an early adopter I would accept friends requests from everyone. This means that I follow lots of people. I’ve written here how Facebook birthdays serve as a great reminder of people I need to connect with again.

      As for ROI. I don’t track this either. I don’t think it’s possible to measure EVERYTHING, I wouldn’t want to. In thinking this way though, it does make you pause to question whether certain events are really worth attending. It really depends what you get out of them.

      For me, I LOVE the events I organize, because the people who come are awesome. That’s the best part. I always have smart talks with brilliant people, I also always get some great laughs too. The energy is high. In the case of these events though, it’s important for me to remember the new attendees, so I can try to follow up with them later.

      I hope this makes senese. I rambled a bit.

  • http://about.me/sueannereed Sue Anne Reed

    Evernote is a really great way to keep track of conversations and keep them all organized. When I was job searching, I used it to keep track of jobs I applied to and email conversations with people at those organizations. Both the ability to “clip” web pages and also forward emails to Evernote direct from Gmail right in to folders are super helpful.

    • http://www.davedelaney.me/ Dave Delaney

      Thanks Sue Anne! Evernote is something I know plenty about, but have never implemented day-to-day. It’s always in my mind as something I need to give more time to learn.

      Thanks for the suggestion. I wonder if other people use it this way as well.

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