When meeting someone professionally for the first time, people often become consumed with the goal of exchanging business cards. However, getting a business card should be the first step of a bigger goal—networking to form a strong professional relationship. Therefore, once you get someone’s business card, it’s important that your efforts don’t stop there.

Once you have a person’s card, don’t just let it sit in a pile of other cards that you’ve collected over the years! Following up with that person via email within 1 business day is an easy way to start securing your professional relationship because you will stay fresh on her mind. If you are following up soon after meeting, you can remind her of who are—including where you met and something unique that you talked about in that first exchange. At this point you want to remind her of how you can be helpful to her. Or, although less strongly recommended, you can simply request to stay in touch. 

If you wait to reach out until you need a favor from this person, or until she thinks of you, chances are your request or her memory won’t go very far. Within a few weeks you’ll no longer be at the front of someone’s mind. Therefore, staying connected with an email trail will make it easy for you both to keep each other’s names present. If you want to connect a few months later, you can find her contact information easily in your email history. Through this initial follow up, your professional relationship becomes more tangible. Although you may reach out to someone and not hear back, it’s still worth the effort. And you never know—that person may appreciate your email and keep you in mind even if she doesn’t respond.

How do you keep in touch with new colleagues? Share with us in the comments below.