LinkedIn reports more than 1 billion members — after an event, most of the people you meet are reachable online to keep the relationship going.
Source: LinkedIn
Networking tips
Networking tips: what to do before, during, and after an event
Good networking is a system, not a personality trait. The best tips come down to three moments: prepare before the event, connect and capture during it, and follow up fast afterwards. Below is the practical playbook for professional and in-person networking — plus the apps and tools that make it easier. This guide is part of our networking pillar.
By the numbers
Why the follow-up matters
A couple of verifiable facts behind the advice — each linked to its primary source.
Every iPhone since the XS and XR (2018) reads an NFC tag with no app to install, so a tap can capture a new contact the instant you meet — nothing to type up later.
Source: Apple Developer
Before the event
How do you prepare for a networking event?
Ten minutes of prep changes how the whole event goes. Sort these four before you arrive.
Set one real goal
Decide what a good night looks like — three solid conversations, one intro, meeting a specific person. A clear goal beats “work the room” and takes the pressure off.
Polish your one-liner
Have a plain-language answer to “what do you do?” that invites a follow-up question. Skip the title; say the problem you solve for people.
Make sharing effortless
Set up a digital business card so a tap or scan hands over your details — no pens, no “let me write it down”, and it never runs out.
Do a little homework
Skim the guest list or speakers and note two or three people worth meeting. Walking in with names makes the room far less random.
During the event
In-person networking: what to do in the room
The room is where trust is built. These habits make face-to-face networking feel natural instead of forced.
Lead with curiosity
Ask about their work before you pitch yours. People remember how interested you were, not how impressive you sounded.
Have fewer, better talks
Three real conversations beat twenty rushed hellos. Depth is what people follow up on; a business-card sprint is not.
Share the moment you click
When a conversation has legs, exchange details there and then with a tap. Do it while you are both interested, not as an afterthought at the door.
Capture a note on the spot
After you connect, jot one line — where you met, what to send. Because the contact is already saved digitally, the note takes seconds and saves the follow-up.
After the event
How to follow up after networking
This is where most networking is won or lost. The follow-up is simple, but it has to happen fast.
Reach out within 48 hours
Send a short, personal message while the conversation is fresh. Reference what you talked about so it is clearly not a template.
Deliver what you promised
If you said you would send an intro, an article, or a quote, do it in that first message. Following through is the whole reputation game.
Organise and set a reminder
Tag the new contact, add your note, and set a nudge to check in later. A light CRM keeps warm leads from quietly going cold.
Give before you ask
Stay useful between meetings — a relevant link, an introduction, a genuine congratulations. Relationships that only appear when you need something rarely last.
Networking apps & tools
The networking apps and tools worth using
Skip the app graveyard. These are the four jobs that matter — and one card covers most of them.
Share: a digital business card
Tap or scan to hand over your details in one motion, updated forever. It replaces the paper card and never runs out mid-event.
Reach: LinkedIn
Still the default for online professional reach and keeping in touch between events. Connect the same day you meet, while they remember you.
Organise: a light CRM
Keep everyone you meet in one place with notes, tags, and reminders, so no contact is lost in a camera roll of business-card photos.
Book: a calendar link
Put a booking link on your profile so an interested contact can grab a meeting slot the moment they tap — no email tag.
Common questions
Networking tips: the questions people ask
What are the best networking tips for beginners?
Start with three: prepare a clear one-line answer to “what do you do?”, make sharing your details effortless with a tap-to-share digital card, and always follow up within 48 hours. You do not have to “work the room” — a few real conversations plus a timely follow-up beats collecting a stack of cards every time.
How do I network at an event without feeling awkward?
Give yourself a job. Aim to have a handful of genuine conversations, not to meet everyone. Ask people about their work and listen — curiosity is easier than self-promotion. Standing near the food, the entrance, or a solo attendee makes opening easy. When you connect, a quick tap to share beats fumbling for a pen and keeps the moment natural.
How soon should I follow up after meeting someone?
Within 24 to 48 hours, while the conversation is still fresh for both of you. Keep it short and specific: reference something you actually talked about, and if you promised an intro, a link, or a document, deliver it in that first message. Speed and specificity are what turn a business card into a real relationship.
What are the best networking apps and tools?
The useful ones do one of four jobs: share your details (a digital business card), keep the people you meet organised (a light CRM), let people book time (a calendar link), or remind you to follow up. LinkedIn covers online reach; a tap-to-share card like Anexus Connect covers the in-person exchange, the contact list, and the follow-up in one place, so you carry fewer apps.
Do I still need business cards for professional networking?
You need a way to exchange details — but it no longer has to be paper. A digital business card does the same job in one tap, never runs out, updates itself when your role changes, and records who you met so you can follow up. Many people keep one metal NFC card for the premium feel and rely on the digital profile for everything else.
How do I keep track of everyone I meet networking?
Capture, then organise. When details are exchanged with a tap, each new contact lands in one list automatically — no photos of paper cards to type up later. Add a one-line note about where you met and what to do next, tag them, and set a reminder. That small system is the difference between a contact you follow up and one you forget.
How do you measure networking success (ROI)?
Measure networking success by tracking outcomes, not business cards collected. Useful metrics include how many new contacts you captured, what share you followed up with, meetings or calls booked, referrals given and received, and deals or hires that trace back to an event. A digital business card’s dashboard shows who opened your profile, giving you the follow-up and conversion data to calculate real ROI.
How do you maximize your networking at an event?
Maximize your networking at an event with a simple plan: set a goal of a few real conversations, prepare a one-line intro, and skip trying to meet everyone. Ask questions and listen, share your details in one tap so the moment stays natural, take a quick note on each person, and follow up within 48 hours while the meeting is fresh.
What are the best networking tips for small business owners?
The best networking tips for small business owners: show up where your customers already gather — chambers of commerce, local meetups, and industry groups — and lead with how you help, not a sales pitch. Make sharing effortless with a branded tap-to-share card, capture every lead into one dashboard, and follow up within a day or two so more conversations turn into customers.
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