It can be easy to meet HNW individuals if you are in the right place at the right time, but how to you fan the spark of an initial encounter into the flame of an ongoing social relationship? It isn’t very difficult, if you do not push to hard.
Step One is Reconnecting Before Leaving the Event
You chatted earlier. You learned a bit about them and vice versa. You detached yourself from the conversation, not overstaying your welcome.
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Reconnect. Run into them again at one of the two bottlenecks at most social events, the coat check or the valet parking station. Everyone is patiently waiting in line.
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Reestablish your value. Recap what you talked about, the interests you share. You are both wine fans or support the same sports team. This reminds them what you talked about and how they will benefit by knowing you.
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Meetings might be monthly. If you are both attending a scheduled monthly event, like Chamber meeting, you might say: “See you at the next event.” That’s not pushy and sets up an expectation.
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Play the dinner card. Suppose it’s early in the evening. You attended a meeting or event, it’s over and no one has eaten anything. In this situation you might transition into dinner plans. “The four of us are heading to that new Thai restaurant down the block. You can join us if you like.” Everyone is hungry. Everyone needs to eat. It’s a natural progression.
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You are not offering your business card. Maybe everyone is heading home. There is no reason to hang around. Send the ball into their court by reminding them: “We have a lot of shared interests. I would like to keep in touch. How do I do that?” Stop talking. They might offer a card, write their phone number on the cocktail napkin still sticking out of their pocket or suggest you send them an invite on LinkedIn. In these situations, I write “Bryce and Jane” on the back of my business card along with our phone number. I present it handwritten side first. It is important to be reactive because proactively offering your business card can set off alarm bells.
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The assumptive close. Sometimes you do not need their contact information because you already have it. If you belong to the country club or Chamber, there is a directory with everyone’s contact information. You might let them know you had a good time and might be giving them a call.
Step Two is Reaching Out Afterwards
You are not calling as soon as you get home. You want to get onto the radar without coming across as trying too hard. Remember, this is still a social connection. Here are some ideas:
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You make the first move. It’s like dating. Don’t assume they will call if they are interested. You don’t do that when prospecting at work. You make the first call.
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Provide a reminder. Organizations often assume everyone knows what happens next. Busy people need reminders, where they are supposed to be and when. If the next museum reception is a week from Friday, call and remind them. You are looking forward to seeing them again.
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Capitalize on personal interests. You are beach people. It’s summer. You each talked about your favorite beaches. There was overlap. You are planning a day at the beach in ten days. Ask if they want to join you.
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Invite them for drinks. You don’t want to scare them away by moving too fast! A good strategy is to suggest meeting for drinks someplace, with the understanding you need to be out by 7:00 PM because you have dinner reservations elsewhere.
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Dinner with people you all know. Inviting them to your home for dinner provides a relaxing atmosphere. They might be hesitant because they don’t know you very well. The solution is to invite a couple you and they both know. They know there will be familiar faces present.
All these approaches are low key. In most social situations, people feel they should reciprocate, extending an invitation for you to join them for another get together.
Related: Dispelling Myths the Public Has About Financial Advisors