Traditionally a good follow up should be limited to no later than three days after meeting a person. Two days is safe, and one day is a perfectly timed follow-up. Keeping it short and to the point is helpful too while adding an ‘Emotional Moment’ inside the follow-up. Maybe a joke was said, or a nice story about XYZ happened, and adding a reminder of this helps recall the feelings everyone had during the conversation in the first place. And finally, but not least, keep from asking for things within a follow up unless prompt too. Such as the other person suggesting lunch at the first interaction.
After a follow-up, maintaining that relationship begins with keeping in touch with them. Focus on a routine and naturally flowed schedule of keeping these people in the rotation of life. A follow-up, and future contact, with a person, can be done through any means of communication: Emails, Phone Call, Text, Social Media Message, etc. I like an email for when I follow up with a person and slowly move up to a phone call over time. My personal favorite is sending out inspirational text messages randomly to my friends, family, and associates to let them know I am thinking of them.
A network of people will be there at the beginning and the end of a person’s journey with communication!
