I just got back from a finance conference, and I had some solid conversations with a few bankers and consultants. The problem is, I’m not sure how to actually follow up without coming across as either too pushy or too casual. I got one guy’s email, another person’s LinkedIn, but now I’m sitting here unsure of what the next move is that doesn’t feel forced or transactional.
I get that “following up is where the magic happens,” but what does that actually look like? Is it an email referencing something specific we talked about? A LinkedIn connection request with a note? When do you actually ask for a coffee chat versus just staying in orbit as a contact? And more importantly, how do I know if someone’s actually interested in maintaining contact versus being polite at a networking event?
I want to build real relationships, not just collect business cards. But I also don’t want to overthink this and let opportunities slip. What’s the actual formula for converting event conversations into real next steps?
people are generous at events because they’re in a good mood and want to help. the minute they leave, they forget you. so follow up within 24 hours. reference something specific you actually talked about—not generic stuff. ‘hey, loved our chat about exit strategies to tech, would love to grab 30 mins sometime’ is different than ‘enjoyed meeting you.’ if they don’t respond in a week, they’re not interested. move on.
don’t do the linkedin connection request thing if you have their email. just email them directly. it feels warmer and they’re more likely to respond. email also shows intent—you actually remember them enough to hunt down contact info. if they wanted to move forward, they’ll say yes to coffee. if they don’t respond, that’s your answer.
gotcha so within 24 hours, reference something specific, email not linkedin, and be direct abt coffee. ok that’s way clearer than all the vague advice ive been getting. if they say maybe later, is that a soft no or should u follow up again?
also how specific does the reference have to be? like if u talked abt banking vs consulting, is mentioning ur interest in both enough or does it need to be the exact deal they mentioned lol
Follow up within 24 hours with a brief, specific email. Reference a particular insight from your conversation—something that demonstrates you were genuinely engaged, not just going through motions. For example: ‘I appreciated your perspective on how sponsor dynamics differ between bulge-bracket and boutique firms. I’d like to explore that further.’ This specificity signals genuine interest and distinguishes you from dozens of generic follow-ups they receive. Propose a concrete timeframe—‘next two weeks, 30 minutes’—rather than an open-ended meeting. If they express interest but suggest ‘later,’ send one follow-up email in two weeks with a specific date proposal. Beyond that, let it go. Their silence is information.
You’ve already done the hard part by having great conversations! A thoughtful follow-up will absolutely lead to real connections. You’ve got this!
I went to a small investor conference and had a random conversation with a partner about his path to PE. I emailed him the next morning saying ‘our brief chat about the analyst-to-PE transition really resonated with my goals.’ He replied within hours and we got coffee two weeks later. That coffee led to an internship interview. The difference was that I was actually specific—not generic conference niceties. I showed I remembered what mattered to him.
Event follow-up effectiveness drops significantly after 48 hours. A 24-hour email with a specific reference typically yields a 45-50% response rate among interested parties. Use the follow-up to propose a clear next step: ‘Coffee next Thursday at 2pm, or Friday at 4pm?’ Specificity drives commitment. If you receive ‘busy now, check back later,’ a single follow-up after two weeks is appropriate. Without a concrete response after that, the contact has indicated low priority. Prioritize contacts where initial conversation covered substantive topics over those where interaction was purely surface-level.