You spent weeks or months planning the event. You invited the right people, chose a strong format and created the kind of setting where real conversations could happen. Maybe it was a cocktail reception. A panel. A small dinner. What matters is that you brought people together with intention.
But too many companies (and people) stop there. They let the energy die down. They wait too long to follow up or send the same message to everyone. That’s where the opportunity slips.
The follow-up is where the impact really happens. It’s how you turn a moment of connection into something more. A next step. A new matter. A stronger relationship.
This article walks through how to follow up the right way to build relationships, visibility and business. It covers what companies should do, what individuals should do, how to handle no-shows and how to use LinkedIn to keep things going. It also includes how to become a connector for others and why that’s one of the most effective ways to add value to your network.
What Your Company Should Do After the Event
Companies often spend most of their energy on planning. But if you don’t build a plan for what happens after, you’re leaving so much value on the table. The follow-up is how you extend the life of the event, bring people closer to your brand and give your team tools to move relationships forward. Here’s how to make sure your firm (and you) get the most out of the experience.
- Send a thank-you message that adds something: A generic note won’t make an impression. Recap the purpose of the event and highlight a few moments that stood out. If there was a strong quote or a key takeaway, include it. Add a photo if it feels appropriate. Segment your outreach. Senior contacts should get a different message than junior professionals or peers. One size never fits all.
- Post about the event on LinkedIn with intention: Skip the photo dump and vague caption. Share a real insight from the event, something that sparked conversation or prompted a new question. Keep it useful and brief. Tag people only when it makes sense. Make it about the substance, not the optics.
- Turn the event into content worth reading: If the event focused on a timely issue or trend, create a short article or blog post based on what was discussed. Include your firm’s perspective. Focus on what clients need to know, not a recap. This content should reinforce your value and expertise, not repeat the agenda.
- Equip your people to follow up quickly and well: Don’t assume everyone will know what to do next. Share the attendee list, notes from key conversations and follow-up templates. Identify high-priority contacts and offer talking points or next steps. Make it easy to take action. Most people won’t unless you give them the tools.
- Update your tracking systems immediately: Add every attendee to your CRM or tracker. Note who they spoke with, what was discussed and what needs to happen next. Flag high-value targets for additional follow-up. If you don’t track this, it gets lost. Follow-up doesn’t work if it’s based on memory.
What Individuals Should Do After the Event
If you spent time talking to people at the event, the next step is on you. This is where most people hesitate. They tell themselves they’ll get to it later and then never do. I’ve seen it happen too many times and I’ve been guilty of it myself. Years ago I went to a packed industry dinner where I met someone who could have opened doors for a big opportunity. We had a great conversation, exchanged cards and promised to stay in touch. But I didn’t follow up until three weeks later and by then the moment had passed. I wasn’t top of mind anymore. That experience stuck with me.
The truth is, it doesn’t need to be perfect or overly polished. It just needs to be done. If you wait too long you risk losing the momentum. If you overthink it you’ll talk yourself out of reaching out. You’ve already made the connection. Now build on it while it’s still fresh. Send the note. Make the call. Keep the door open. It’s that simple.
- Send a personal message within a day or two: Mention something you talked about. Keep it short and friendly. You’re just picking up where you left off.
- Connect on LinkedIn: Consider including a personal note. Remind them where you met and thank them for the conversation. If you had a real exchange, this will feel natural.
- Keep the relationship warm: Send a useful article, a relevant invite or just check in. Do it in a way that fits your relationship. The goal isn’t to pitch. It’s to stay in touch.
- Track your outreach: Make a quick note to remind yourself when and how you connected. Set a calendar reminder to follow up again in a few weeks or months.
- Be a super connector: Look for ways to bring people together. If someone you met at the event would benefit from knowing someone else in your network, make the introduction. It doesn’t have to be a big production. A quick email or message is often all it takes. When you make thoughtful connections, it shows you’re paying attention and thinking beyond your own relationships. It also signals that you’re someone people can trust to make smart, relevant introductions.
Speaking of Super Connectors…
One of the most valuable things you can do after an event isn’t about your own follow-up. It’s about helping other people. Introducing two smart contacts to each other can be more impactful than anything you say about yourself. And it leaves an impression that lasts.
You don’t have to be the most senior person in the room or have the biggest network. You just need to be thoughtful. When you connect people in ways that feel personal and intentional, you become someone others want to stay close to.
Here’s how to do it well:
- Look for unmet needs: Pay attention to what people are working on. Is someone hiring? Are they trying to grow their presence in a certain market? Are they struggling with visibility or new business? Think about who you know who could help with that.
- Make your introductions clear and specific: Don’t just say, “You two should know each other.” Explain why. Share a sentence or two about each person and what they’re focused on. Set the context. Make it easy for them to see the value in connecting.
- Cross networks and roles: Great connections often happen outside the usual circles. Introduce people across industries, seniority levels or backgrounds. A founder might need a lawyer. A private equity partner might need a branding expert. Think big.
- Stay organized: Keep track of who you’ve introduced and when. Follow up with each person later to see if the conversation happened. It shows you care and that you’re not just making connections to check a box.
- Don’t overdo it: Every introduction should feel intentional. Quality matters more than quantity. You want to be known for sending the right names at the right time, not for flooding inboxes with random connections.
Being a connector shows people you’re paying attention. It also proves you’re not only thinking about yourself. That’s rare. And that’s the kind of person people want in their corner.
How to Handle No-Shows
An RSVP means something. Even if someone didn’t attend, they were interested. Maybe the topic spoke to them, or they knew someone hosting. They took the time to register, and that gives you a reason to follow up.
But what happens too often? Nothing. They get overlooked. They don’t hear from anyone. That’s a mistake. These are people who already signaled some level of connection. Now it’s your job to pick it back up and find a way to bring them back in. With the right outreach, you can restart the conversation and turn a missed event into a new opportunity.
- Start with a prioritized list: Pull a list of no-shows and focus on the contacts who align with your goals. That might include clients, prospects, alumni or industry relationships. Don’t treat this as a mass outreach project. Be selective and strategic.
- Make the outreach matter: A generic recap won’t do much. Think about what would be useful to them based on their role or industry. If a specific topic came up that’s tied to their business, start there. You don’t need to mention that they missed the event. Focus on what they would find helpful now.
- Tie the follow-up to a next step: Share a relevant article or client alert. Invite them to a future event. Suggest a time to connect one-on-one. The goal isn’t to rehash what already happened. It’s to move the relationship forward from where it is now.
- Assign outreach to the right people: If there’s an existing relationship, the message should come from that person. If not, choose someone who can speak with authority about the topic or the space the contact works in. The outreach should feel intentional, not random.
- Track and follow through: Add these contacts to your internal tracking. Note what was sent and when. Identify who responded and what the next action should be. This isn’t just post-event housekeeping. It’s an extension of your business development strategy.
- Connect with them on LinkedIn: If you’re not already connected, send a short note with your request. Mention the event briefly and let them know you’d like to stay in touch. This gives them an easy way to learn more about you and makes future outreach feel more natural.
- Stay visible over time: If they’re not already in your LinkedIn network, send a connection request with a short, professional note. Continue to post and engage on topics that reinforce your expertise. Make sure your activity supports the outreach that’s already happened.
- Think long term: Just because someone didn’t attend this time doesn’t mean they won’t engage next time. Keep the line open. Pay attention to what matters to them. Invite them to something more targeted. Stay consistent.
When it comes to this audience, also consider:
- Debrief with your internal team: Identify which no-shows are worth a second look. Share relevant context and make sure there’s a clear owner and plan for each contact.
- Loop in colleagues where it makes sense: If a no-show would be better served by another lawyer or team, pass the contact along thoughtfully. Make sure there’s follow-through.
- Turn it into a check-in opportunity: If the contact is a current or former client, use the moment to reach out and ask what they’re seeing in the market or what’s on their radar.
- Use no-show patterns to improve your invites: If the same people always RSVP and cancel, reconsider the format or content. They may be better served by a different kind of outreach.
The missed event doesn’t matter as much as what you do next. A thoughtful follow-up is often where the real relationship starts.
Using LinkedIn to Keep the Conversation Going
LinkedIn is one of the most effective ways to continue building relationships after an event. It helps people understand what you care about, how you think and where you show up. It also keeps you visible to the people you met without being intrusive. That visibility matters. When someone is deciding who to refer or hire, they often check LinkedIn first. What you do there reinforces everything you said in person.
Here’s how to use LinkedIn to build lasting connections after the event:
- Connect with the people you met: Send a connection request within a few days while the conversation is still fresh. Always include a short note that reminds them where you met and what you discussed. A personal message makes the interaction feel intentional and thoughtful. Avoid sending a blank request or something overly generic. That small extra effort builds trust.
- Post something thoughtful about the event: Choose one takeaway that stood out. This could be a quote, a topic that sparked strong reactions or a trend that came up in multiple conversations. Keep the post short and focused. Share your perspective. If you tag others, make sure there is a clear reason to do it. A good post extends the life of the event and gives your network something useful to think about.
- Comment on posts from other attendees: When others post about the event, don’t ignore it. Add a meaningful comment or share it with your own thoughts. This helps you stay visible without writing something from scratch. More importantly, it shows you are engaged and paying attention. It’s also a good way to support your contacts and stay on their radar.
- Share something relevant to the conversations you had: If your firm has a client alert, article or podcast episode that relates to something discussed at the event, share it privately or as a post. Explain why it’s helpful. This makes you a resource rather than someone trying to sell. Even if the person doesn’t respond, you’ve shown you listened and followed through.
- Stay active in the days and weeks that follow: Many people will visit your profile after connecting with you. If you are posting and engaging with others, it gives them a better sense of who you are and how you think. You don’t need to post every day. A few consistent actions help build familiarity and make it easier for people to remember your strengths when opportunities come up.
- Use your activity to reinforce your credibility: Your posts, comments and shares should align with the kind of work you want to be known for. If you’re in private equity, talk about trends you’re seeing. If you work with founder-led businesses, comment on news about those companies. The more your activity reflects your focus, the more likely it is that your connections will think of you when something relevant comes their way.
- Follow up privately with content or a next step: LinkedIn doesn’t always need to be public. If you had a strong conversation with someone at the event, follow up with a short message that includes something of value. That could be a relevant article, an introduction or a quick note suggesting a future conversation. This helps you move from online visibility to actual relationship-building.
- Watch for their updates and engage consistently: Staying in touch doesn’t require a big move. Watch for their updates, promotions, job changes or published content. Comment when it makes sense. A short, relevant response to one of their posts can be just as powerful as a full outreach email. It reminds them of who you are and keeps the connection alive.
LinkedIn works best when it’s used consistently and with intention. It shouldn’t replace your direct follow-up, but it plays a major role in keeping you visible, credible and connected. When done well, it turns a quick exchange at an event into a long-term relationship.
Make Follow-Up Part of the Plan
You can’t rely on good intentions to make follow-up happen. It needs to be built into the planning process from the start. Otherwise it gets delayed, rushed or forgotten.
- Start by working follow-up into your event timeline. Think through what will happen after, who’s responsible and what tools they’ll need. Create a shared document that includes the full attendee list, who invited whom, who they spoke with and what kind of follow-up makes sense. Assign owners for key contacts. Don’t leave it vague.
- Draft the follow-up materials in advance. That means thank-you emails, social media copy, LinkedIn templates and talking points. Also decide what content to share, whether it’s a blog post, a relevant client alert or an invitation to a future event. Having those pieces ready will make it easier for people to take action in a timely way.
- It’s all about the follow up. Your follow-up doesn’t need to happen immediately, but it should happen within a few days while the event is still fresh. Block time on calendars if needed. Set internal reminders. Give your team what they need to reach out without having to start from scratch.
- A few days later, check in. Who followed up. Who got a response. Who might need a second touchpoint. This is where marketing and BD can step in again to help think through what’s next.
- Also pay attention to the people who RSVP’d but didn’t attend. Reach out to them. Send a quick note, a summary of what they missed or a link to a relevant resource. The interest was there. Don’t waste it.
If you want your events to lead to something more, you have to treat follow-up as part of the strategy. Not an extra task. Not something you’ll get around to when you have time. The real value of the event is built after it ends. That’s the part too many people skip.
Don’t Let the Event Be the End
Getting the right people in the room is only the beginning. What you do next is what matters.
The real value of an event is in what happens afterward. The conversations you continue. The relationships you deepen. The opportunities you create by staying visible and following through.
Make sure your colleagues know who they met and what steps to take next. Reach out while the connection is still fresh. Personalize every interaction. And don’t wait for someone else to do it.
This is where business gets done. Quietly. Thoughtfully. Intentionally.
Because the event might be over, but the window to make something real from it is just opening.