According to Beth Corby’s article “15 Referral Marketing Statistics You Need to Know,” “Referral marketing scored the highest across every single demographic, out-doing editorial content, all forms of ads, and brand sponsorship” in a recent Nielsen Survey.

Networking can be one of the most vital stepping stones towards career advancement and professional relationship building. However, like most impactful elements of success, networking can also be extremely difficult. 

For most of us, networking events are valuable tools for forward momentum. By making new connections, we are able to build out contact lists and advance our careers. However, many evenings spent shaking hands can go to waste if we are ineffective at keeping in touch with those contacts after we go home. 

To make sure you’re rising to your fullest potential, Professional Network Connections has put together these top 3 email templates for following up with your new connections.  

Congratulations, you’ve signed up to attend a networking event! You’re going to pack your business cards, put yourself out there, and make some new connections to advance your career. The only problem is, you have no idea what to wear. 

Thanks to continuous growth in the free market, businesses have to be more resourceful than ever to compete. It’s not enough to publish advertisements and hope for the best. Instead, the modern executive must direct his focus towards building referral sources that work to his advantage.  

What is a referral source?

Networking is an undeniably vital part of building success. Making professional connections can often advance your position within career fields more than any degree or previous experience ever could; however, the actual act of networking is pretty universally uncomfortable. During a typical event, you awkwardly roam a venue, handing out business cards, repeating your name, and forgetting the job title of nearly every other person in the room. You may consider leaving as early as possible or hiding in a bathroom just to avoid answering the same question thirty more times, and you’re not alone. 

The trick to effective networking is to stop asking, “What do you do?”. Instead, stand out by asking these seven memorable questions. You’ll be meeting and greeting your way to the top in no time.