Disagree with the "Always follow up in person" advice from a Chandler networking group

Last year a guy named Tom at a Chandler BNI meeting told me I absolutely had to follow up with every lead face to face or I was wasting my time. He was very adamant about it (like his way was the only way). I tried it for 3 months and it ate up so many hours driving across Mesa for 10 minute chats that barely went anywhere. Honestly I got way better results just sending a quick text or short email the next day, especially with the younger crowd at my coworking spot. Has anyone else found that older networking advice doesn't fit how business actually happens now?

2 comments

2 Comments

eva90814d ago

Read something the other day about how Gen Z and younger millennials actually prefer digital follow-ups because face to face feels too pushy to them. Totally makes sense why your coworking crowd responds better to texts and emails. That old school BNI advice probably worked when people had more time and less inbox overload, but now it's about respecting someone's schedule, not forcing a coffee chat. One study I saw said response rates for email follow-ups are actually higher than in-person drop-ins for certain industries. Maybe Tom's method works for his crowd but not for the rest of us.

the_patricia14d ago

I mean, that thing about response rates for email follow ups being higher than in person drop ins... I think that depends a lot on the industry and the person. Like in my experience, people in creative fields or remote work love a quick email, but I've got a buddy in commercial real estate who says nothing beats showing up with donuts. It's not really about one method being better across the board, it's more about matching how the other person actually likes to work. Tom's advice probably works great for old school sales guys, but I'd bet it falls flat with anyone under 30 who values their time and space.