Networking to Expand Client Base

6 Follow Up Templates That Keep Networking Conversations Alive: 1. The Value-First Follow Up Aim to add value to an initiative you know they're working on: "Hi Sarah, saw your company just announced the new product launch. I came across this article on similar launches in your industry. Thought it might spark some ideas for your marketing strategy. Hope the launch prep is going smoothly!" 2. The Specific Question Angle Asking specific questions shows credibility and can get you info you can use to add value: "Hey David, been thinking about our coffee chat last week. You mentioned struggling with team retention in H2. Have you tried implementing "retention interviews" yet? I saw 3 companies in tech reduce turnover by 40% using them, here's a link to that data." 3. The Introduction Offer Networking is hard (as you know!). Offering to make an intro is a great way to add value to two people: "Hi Jessica, following up from our chat. You mentioned needing a UI/UX designer for that new AI feature. My former colleague Anna just went freelance and she's brilliant. She redesigned our entire app in 6 weeks last year. Happy to make an intro if you're still looking!" 4. The Industry Update Hook Leveraging a shift in the market or industry can be a great way to spark a follow up conversation: "Hey Marcus, did you see [Company]'s new Slack-free hours announcement? It directly impacts what we discussed about interrupted work and team output. Could be something worth looking into for your team?" 5. The Achievement Celebration Everyone loves to be recognized for their achievements. Be that person! "Lisa! Just saw you got promoted to VP on LinkedIn. I remember you mentioned being in an interview process when we met for coffee. I know how stressed you were about the interview with the C-Level. Looks like you crushed it! Would love to hear about your new role if you're up for a chat in the next week or two." 6. The Resource Share Sharing resources aligned with your contact's needs is one of the best ways to stay top of mind: "Hi Tom, I know you'd mentioned how much time your sales team was spending on pre-qualification. A connection of mine just shared an AI automation flow that solves for that exact problem. He said it's saved his team 15+ hours per week and led to more sales. I grabbed a copy if you'd like to see it. Just let me know!" —— ➕ Follow Austin Belcak for more 🔵 Ready to land your dream job? Click here to learn more about how we help people land amazing jobs in ~3.5 months with a $44k raise: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r

Fact: Outbound sales is broken. Incentives and strategies are misaligned. Tools like Salesloft and Outreach didn’t cause it. They amplified it. Now marketing and sales need to work together to fix it. The real issue is that sales managers push SDRs to prioritize volume over quality, leading to generic outreach that no one wants to read. Fixing this starts with focus. Give SDRs a small set of accounts, 30 per quarter, and tier them into A, B, and C priorities (using tools like Clay, Tofu, Unify). This makes it clear who they’re targeting and allows them to spend their time understanding the industries, companies, and people they’re reaching out to. Instead of chasing volume, they can dive deep into the problems their prospects are trying to solve. With the right tools, resources and 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, SDRs can educate themselves on the pain points, motivations, and challenges of their target audience. They can craft outreach that adds value and speaks directly to what matters most. Take me as an example. If you’re reaching out to someone like me at MoEngage, don’t send lazy, cookie-cutter emails like: “Does getting more pipeline keep you up at night” “Would you be interested in getting more qualified meetings” “Do you want customer lists of your competitors?” “Are you still interested?” “I haven’t heard back. I’ll assume this isn’t a priority.” These don’t work. They’re noise. If you want my attention, show me you’ve done your homework. Understand that I’m focused on growing in North America. Recognize the challenges of expanding into a crowded market. Tell me something valuable about how companies like mine are navigating those problems and how you can help. This approach may lead to fewer meetings overall, but the meetings you get will be better. SDRs and AEs will know their audience. They’ll understand the pain points. They’ll deliver messaging that lands because it’s relevant and thoughtful. And this isn’t just a sales problem. Marketing has to help. Marketing should train SDRs and AEs with insights about the market, the ICP, and the problems worth solving. Outbound sales works best when sales and marketing are aligned, working together to get the right message in front of the right people. Stop trying to get more meetings. Focus on getting better ones.

80% of the 50K MRR we've added over the past 5 months came through LinkedIn. If I was forced to pick only 3 activities to maintain our entire business, here are the ones I'd pick: 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝟭: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 Kind of a no-brainer. Without a system that consistently churns out high-quality content, nothing else matters. The Setup: I’d schedule a weekly content call with a team member. They prepare 3-4 questions per pillar: • Tactical: "Walk me through your process for X." • Aspirational: "Tell me about a recent client win." • Insightful: "What's your take on this industry trend?" • Personal: "What mistake did you learn from recently?" The Extraction: • Record using Riverside.fm for auto-transcript  • Timestamp each topic shift in transcript  • Turn each segment into one post  ____ 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝟮: 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 An easy way to increase the number of ideal customers in my network. I’d follow a simple process: • Create SalesNav search with exact ICP criteria  • Export entire prospect list as CSV  • Upload to HeyReach connection campaign  • Send 100 requests weekly (no message) (Hint: This is the same list I’d use to run Thought Leadership Ads against my best-performing organic content - if I were allowed to.) ____ 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝟯: 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 Just posting content isn’t enough. 50% of our meetings (32 last month) come from this warm outreach. Once my content starts hitting the target audience, signals start to come in. I’d monitor 4 of them in particular: • Profile views  • Post engagement  • Lead magnet downloads • New connection requests/followers Conversation starters: • "Hey! Saw you connected - what caught your attention?"  • "Thanks for the interaction on my “topic” post - curious what resonated?" The conversation framework: 1. Acknowledge: "Ahhh gotcha" / "Makes sense" 2. Add context: Quick statement building on what they said 3. Ask next question: Natural follow-up Add value with follow-ups: • Helpful resource  • Relevant case study  • Loom addressing their situation Detecting pain points: I’d listen for "struggling with" or "not sure how to" → "Wanna chat about that? Should have time next week." ____ Most founders try 10+ things and execute none well. My advice - NAIL these 3 things, before doing anything else: • Network Expansion • Content Engine • Signal-Based Outreach

In my early career, I thought networking was all about building as many connections as possible. But I quickly learned that effective networking isn't about the quantity of your connections—it's about the quality. Throughout my career, the connections that have truly made a difference weren’t the ones where I just asked for help—they were the ones where I made it easy for others to want to help me. If you want to make others genuinely want to help you, it’s crucial to move beyond simply asking for favors. Instead, focus on creating value and building relationships where both parties benefit. So, how can you do the same? Here are four tactical tips to help you network effectively: ✅ Do Your Homework Before reaching out, research the person or company you’re interested in. Understand their work, challenges, and how you can add value. For instance, instead of asking a connection for job leads, do your own research first. Identify specific roles and companies you’re targeting, and then ask if they can help with an introduction. This approach shows initiative and respect for their time. ✅ Be Specific in Your Ask Whether you’re asking for an introduction, advice, or a referral, be clear and concise about what you need. For example, instead of asking, “Do you know anyone hiring?” say, “I noticed [Company Name] is looking for a [Role]. Would you be open to introducing me to [Person]? I’m happy to send you my resume and a brief write-up you can pass along, too.” This shows that you’ve taken the initiative and makes it easier for your contact to say yes. ✅ Offer Mutual Value When requesting a meeting or advice, frame it as a two-way conversation. Instead of saying, “Can I pick your brain?” try something like, “I’d love to exchange ideas on [specific topic] and share some strategies that have worked for me.” This not only makes your request more compelling but also positions you as someone who brings value to the table. ✅ Follow Up with Gratitude After someone has helped you, don’t just say thank you and disappear. Keep them in the loop on how their help made an impact. Whether you got the job, secured the meeting, or just had a great conversation, let them know. This closes the loop and makes them more inclined to help you in the future. Your network is one of your greatest assets—nurture it well, and it will be there for you when you need it most. What’s one networking tip that’s helped you build stronger connections? *** 📧 Want more tips like these? Join Career Bites - free weekly bite-sized tips to supercharge your career in 3 minutes or less: lorraineklee.com/subscribe 📖 You can also get behind-the-scenes stories, updates, and special gifts for my upcoming book Unforgettable Presence: lorraineklee.com/book

My greatest error when I started into this business? Thinking that doing good work would be enough to drum up word-of-mouth introductions. It was, until people stopping actively thinking about me as much as I desired. What can Fractional CFOs and FP&A advisors do to make connections easier and an ongoing part of business development? Here are the 6 activities I encourage: 1) Networking Don't just look for companies that need your help. Look for the people who know the people who need your help. Networking is a proactive activity to connecting with high-quality people with the sole intention of learning from them and helping them. It is not about passing out business cards and adding them to an email list. 2) Partnerships Seek a win-win-win scenario. If a company needs help, make it easy for others to refer you. If you are the right provider, you win. But so does the client and so does the referral source. Few of us have the time to send out cold emails, join 12 calls every day, all while doing client work. Teaming up with others who trust us and can market on our behalf increases the odds of connecting with great prospects. 3) Social Media We no longer have to meet people in person to show that what we do. But just as we wouldn't pass around business cards at a networking event, we shouldn't bombard people with constant pitches. A presence on social media doesn't need to be clickbait marketing and trying to hook people into consuming empty calories. Instead, it's an opportunity to showcase experience and expertise. 4) Sales Sales used to feel icky to me, because I felt that I was pressuring someone to buy into me. But sales isn't icky if what we're selling is the antidote to someone's pain. If we fail in selling the cure, we force prospects to buy a sub-par service from someone else. 5) Workshops and Speaking There is no better medium for business development, self-development, marketing, and networking than workshops and speaking. It forces us to develop confidence and mastery in our craft. It allows us to demonstrate our authority and expertise. But we can do this all within the context of service to others. They have come to learn something new and we can be the ones to offer those lessons. 6) Masterminds Masterminds allow people to come together to learn from and challenge each other. As an advisor, we don't have to be the foremost expert in the room. We just have to be able to run a great facilitation and share wisdom. ---------- Some people think that Fractional CFO work is all about word-of-mouth introductions, delivering a recurring accounting package, and coasting once they have a bundle of clients. But clients change. And that means that over time: Needs change Scopes of work change Demands on our time change We might no longer be the right fit Doing great work is not enough to build a sustainable and growing financial advisory practice. That's table stakes. Active marketing is the key to sustainable growth.

Conferences are expensive, boring, and typically have low ROI....but company-led EVENTS on the other hand can be powerful signals. Here's the exact playbook we used at Onward to organize profitable events where prospects can have a great time AND move closer to buying: ➝ 1. Align on your goal. I used to make the mistake of expecting a close within 30 days of an event and would be continually disappointed based on that expectation. Now I consider events another "touch point" in the customer journey/funnel. Our goal is simply to usher the customer to the next stage of the funnel. So if all your leads are top of the funnel, don't expect to close at the event. It's about a) learning what moves the needle for them and b) educating them on our ROI. This will result in moving them to the next sales stage. Your mindset and intentions here are important because otherwise, your pitch will misfire and either come off too brash or too aggressive. ➝ 2. Set the agenda to be what the client would want—not what you want. One of our go-to tactics is mixing education and entertainment. We would create an interactive, immersive learning session w/ a world-class expert with a focus on equipping attendees with tangible takeaways in addition to networking. ➝ 3. Find great partners. In order to share the budget, we typically find like-minded companies that we want to partner with and share customer leads. We participated in Retention.com's marquee summer event in Malibu called Retox and it was one of the more lavish events we've been a part of with over 200+ brands attending. It takes a lot to move the needle for customers to get excited and sometimes you have to go all out! ➝ 4. Yet the simplest format is often the most effective—an intimate, private dinner. You'd be surprised at how much common ground you can find with a potential customer over a 2-hour dinner. Typically there are no pitches, just real connections. The sales pitches will come later—but upfront it's about getting to know one another and seeing how it would be to work together. Sales is about developing relationships and meaningful relationships are built when people can let their guard down and simply connect as human beings. And that's exactly what we aim for. So if you're tired of the same old networking scene and you're craving experiences that truly move the needle, I'd love to connect. What are some unique events you've thrown? I'm always looking for new ideas.

14 unusual things to do after networking (So that people never forget you) Most people treat networking like a one-time event. Show up. Shake hands. Exchange LinkedIn profiles. Then what? Nothing. Silence. A connection that dies in your inbox. ➡️ Here’s the truth: Networking doesn’t end when the event does. If you want to stand out in a sea of small talk and business cards, what you do after matters way more than what you said in the room. 📍 14 memorable ways to follow up after networking (so people remember how you made them feel) : 1.Send a 30-second voice note 🔹 It’s warm, personal, and wildly underused. 🔹 They’ll remember your tone, not just your job title. 2. Mention something they said 🔹 “Still thinking about what you said about burnout.” 🔹 Proves you listen, not just wait to talk. Rare energy. 3. Follow up with zero ask 🔹 “No agenda, just really enjoyed our chat.” 🔹 Trust is built when you expect nothing. 4. Recommend a niche resource 🔹 “This podcast reminded me of our convo on health.” 🔹 Thoughtful people always stand out. 5. Post something they inspired 🔹 “Met someone who reshaped how I think about___.” 🔹 Now they’re part of your story and stories are sticky. 6. Engage genuinely with their content 🔹 “This post reminds me of the time I_____” 🔹 People remember those who get them. 7. Add a personal detail to your calendar 🔹 Birthday, race day, launch date. 🔹 A simple “You"ll crush it today!” = unforgettable. 8. Offer a connection they didn’t ask for 🔹 “You and [Name] speak the same. Want an intro?” 🔹 Be the bridge. Bridges are memorable. 9. Share their work with someone new 🔹 “Told a friend about your insight on___ It hit home.” 🔹 Generosity makes your name stick. 10. Circle back weeks later with a win or a thought 🔹 “That nutrition tip you shared....Total game-changer.” 🔹 That follow-up moment seals the connection. 11. Ask how they’re feeling, not just what they’re doing 🔹 “How’s your energy with the launch coming up?" 🔹 Emotional intelligence creates instant rapport. 12. Thank them again, but differently 🔹 “Grateful for the kindness, not just the time.” 🔹 Depth of appreciation always stands out. 13. Send a $5 coffee gift card with a kind note 🔹 “Thanks for your time and wisdom, next cup’s on me.” 🔹 Tiny gesture. Massive impression. 14. Be the follow-up you’d love to receive 🔹 Helpful, human, and zero pressure. 🔹 Authentic energy is your best bet. Networking isn’t about collecting contacts. The follow-up is where relationships are built Or forgotten. Most people don’t go the extra step. That’s your opportunity. 💎 Because when people remember how you made them feel, They’ll remember you, every single time. ✨ Got a go-to follow-up move that’s worked for you? Drop it in the comments. ♻️ Found this helpful? REPOST. + Follow Priyamvada S for daily tips on growth and well being

Personalized B2B Customer Engagement at Scale Cold calling hasn’t been relevant for five years Using AI just to cold call faster isn't a strategy, it’s just more noise To achieve true personalization at scale, we’ve shifted away from automated outreach and toward AI Agentic teammates We are currently rolling out a system where sales teams get three distinct AI layers built on an “Ecosystem of Reference.” Here is how we are changing the game: 1. The Business Context We integrate the "DNA" of the brand, ICP data, brand guidelines, and white papers. This ensures the AI isn't just guessing; it’s operating with deep internal knowledge 2. The Professional Identity Engagement starts with showing up. These teammates allow salespeople to leave thoughtful, brand-aligned comments on prospect posts, building trust through consistent presence 3. The Authentic Voice Salespeople can finally create social content and have conversations that sound like them. It stays within brand guardrails while remaining relevant to the specific pain points of their ICP Does it actually work? We are only six weeks into implementation, and the results are already outperforming traditional methods: Growing Engagement: We are seeing a steady climb in impressions and organic reach 3 Meetings Per Week: Our sales reps are already hitting this milestone consistently In-Quarter ROI: If you sign a purchase order at the start of the quarter, we are generating meetings for you within that same quarter If you’re ready to move beyond the "spray and pray" era of sales, my book “Social Selling - Techniques to Influence Buyers and Change Makers” is available now on Amazon worldwide. Stop calling. Start building influence #Sales #Marketing #Leadership #SocialSelling #Speaker

How To Connect With Your Ideal Client (Without Pitching, Pushing, or Pestering) Everyone wants “in.” - Founders want investors - Advisers want high-value clients - Jobseekers wants career opportunities. But here’s the truth: The people you’re trying to reach are bombarded with noise. And most outreach fails because it’s rushed, generic, or self-serving. If you want to connect with high-value decision-makers, do this instead: Lead with value: 1. Don’t sell - serve. Share insights, spot inefficiencies, flag risks, connect dots. 2. Study before you speak Understand their goals, their business model, their blind spots. Take more time and tailor everything. 3. Make their world a little better Introduce a key contact. Send a useful article. No ask. 4. Play the long game Follow up with zero agenda. Stay on their radar. Trust builds slowly - then suddenly. Be the person who helps first Not the person who pitches first. The people you want to connect with? They rarely respond to “Here’s something I want to sell you.” But they almost always notice: “Here’s something that might help you.” That’s how relationships start. That’s how business gets done. Good luck.

My best clients don't come from cold DMs. They don't come from lead magnets or complex funnels. They come from conversations. Most people get networking wrong. They see it as a transaction. → Go to an event → Exchange cards → Pitch your service It feels forced because it is. Here’s my approach: 1/ Integrate, don't isolate ↓ Some of my best conversations start far away from conference halls. Over a weekend hike. In book clubs. At parties. At events. Even in airport lounges. Networking is everywhere once you stop treating it like a calendar event. 2/ Lead with curiosity, not a pitch ↓ I’m genuinely interested in what people are working on. Networking is about being curious about people and following through on that curiosity, not just following up for work. This uncovers real problems and leads to real opportunities. 3/ Add value to the conversation ↓ Instead of waiting for the perfect moment to pitch, I share my thoughts on the current topic. When you offer insights and inputs into an ongoing conversation, people are naturally drawn to your perspective and become curious about what you do. 4/ Give before you ask ↓ Share insights. Make introductions. Help people. Trust builds when your default isn't "what can I get?" but "what can I give?" You’re not just building a client list. You’re building a community. You’re building a reputation. PS. My strongest suite is building relationships. The business naturally follows. #digiphin #wemakethingshappen