I have a joke in my house. Were you networking or “notworking”? Basically, when you were out last night at that reception, were you gathering contact information with no plan of action for putting it into use later on? Having a plan of action for the day after a networking event is crucial. Once you gather a stack of business cards, or enter those names and numbers into your Blackberry, you must find a way to efficiently and systematically keep in contact with your new contact.

It could be as simple as connecting on social networking sites so that you are both ambiently aware of each others comings and goings; it could be as sophisticated as entering your new contacts into a database after which they would receive periodic updates from you or your company about new promotions, publications,etc.

I reached out to Brian Sarff, a marketing consultant out of Kansas City, Missouri who writes the Marketing Bull Blog. He shared a few tips about how to close the circle of networking and make networking work after the in-person part is over. Here are some of his insights:

Gaining permission from a prospective client is the best and only way to effectively build  relationships [after meeting in person].  There have been a number of books on this subject, but they all boil down to the same basic principles.

Get Permission:  Having permission from the prospective client is imperative.  So after the initial meeting, send them a kind note of thanks and mention that you have a blog, weekly email, monthly newsletter, whatever it is that you have, and subscribe them to the service.  The first step in the service is to ask them to opt-in to your email campaign.  Then you are free to begin building the relationship.

Tailor the Message:  Now what to send to your prospective client?  That’s a good question and one that is easily answered, but not all at once.  Through an online email service like Constant Contact, iContact or myEmma, you can build in surveys to go out after the 5th or 10th or whichever email makes sense in your process.  Just ask questions that can be easily answered and will provide you more insight into the mind of your prospective client.  Once you have this information about the prospective client, then you can mold your periodic email to address the topics that are of most interest.  Now, should you have a prospect that you really want as a client,  look for things that only they are interested in, “clip” them from the internet using Snagit, and send them a direct email with a note.  “Hey Tyrone, I ran across this on the internet and thought you would really enjoy reading it.  Sue.”

Be Consistent:  This is the one step that is usually violated. Consistency or Discipline.  If you are going to publish every Thursday or on the third Wednesday each month, then make sure you never miss a date. If you promise content on specific subjects- make sure you deliver. Consistent messages, emailed over a period of time, addressing items of interest to your clients, will pull them closer to you.  They may not be ready to purchase  the day after they meet you, but by staying in contact, and by calling or emailing on a regular basis (every 90 days or so)  then over time you will become their go to for information.  And one day, when the need arises, they will hopefully ask you for your product or service and not your competitor.

Bryan Sarff is an infopreneur, entrepreneur, ghost writer, and business owner.  He has worked as a consultant in the financial services industry for several years and coaches financial advisors how to consistently attract more clients.

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Rebekah Lovell of Renown Promotions in Atlanta

Rebekah Lovell, 24 Woodstock, GA (Atlanta)

PR Strategist to Small Business

Owner of Renown Promotions,  going on 2 years

Renown Blog

Twitter: @Renown

Mopwater: Describe your path to PR. What made you want to get into the field?
RL: Back in high school I was elected to the Public Relations seat on our Student Council and something clicked. Since then, I’ve always gravitated towards managing people, business, and events and loved the idea of creating value for businesses and organizations by doing so. I started in college as a Dance Pedagogy major, then Journalism, and then quickly changed to PR upon learning what it was really all about. I was the nerd who sat on the front row and actually read the textbooks and started a blog upon my professor’s suggestion. After a stellar experience at my internship, I took a job in Marketing with a top Atlanta Real Estate Firm. I couldn’t wait to strike out on my own once I saw the depth of small businesses in our area needing counsel and direction. I like to be behind the scenes, and position people and causes for success. It seems PR is a natural extension of my personality and gifts and I’m very passionate about what I do. I enjoy the fast-paced climate of PR and always learning what’s next.

Mopwater: What aspects of the industry are you most excited about?

RL: Strategy and Campaigns, Writing, Social Media, Causes and Events. I like to help businesses get from A to B, and help them look back at how far they’ve come.

Mopwater: Describe your office and workplace. How many co-workers do you have? Where, how, and how often do you collaborate with them?
RL: I work from my home office and communicate with the world outside non-stop via phone, email, and social media. I work hand-in-hand with a couple of other PR companies and freelancers to accomplish everything on my plate.

Mopwater: Describe a typical workday including your work hours. What do you do all day?
RL: My days are always different-but that’s half the fun! I start early and end late, and even work weekends most of the time to catch up. I may have a few office days a week, but I travel a lot to meet clients, attend events, and network.

Mopwater: What are your favorite and least favorite PR tasks? Do you love to pitch? Do you dread writing releases?
RL: Reverse of your example answers-I love to write and don’t enjoy pitching! I have a knack for the written word and really enjoy getting a client’s message across so that a certain media’s listeners, viewers, or readers can relate to and identify with the idea or story behind the feature. Read the full story

A lot of you are transitioning from journalism or another industry to public relations, and are wondering how to gain the experience that will help you land your next gig. Some of you have volunteered as much as you can afford to and need to start bringing in the money while you continue to gain experience.

Subcontracting, or offering a specific service or skill on a project under another person/company’s contract,  is a great way to break into the industry and make money without the added responsibility of being in charge. You may not be ready for prime time but that doesn’t mean you can’t work under someone who is.

So how do you go about subcontracting? Where do you find projects and how do you convince someone to hire you? If you’re a recent graduate who’s looking to get a PR gig, or a mid-career professional who wants to make the leap over from another industry, here are some tips to guide you.

Take Stock. Identify your strengths as well as your weaknesses.  I recently discovered that I’m not really the party planner in terms of making an event look visually beautiful. I am gifted however, with event scripting and planning how an event will flow from moment to moment. So if I got a lead on an event planning project, I would not bill myself as the expert in floral arrangements or banners. But remarks? Run of show? I’m your girl.

My point is, take stock of what you’re really good at, and use that to get your foot in the door. During your subcontracting gig, you’ll invariably learn new skills to add to your repertoire.  Build your skill set with each project so each time you approach someone, you’ll have more and more services to offer.

Create a Portfolio. I  recommend creating a  portfolio and posting it online, and adding the hyperlink to your e-mail signature.  But this document should also come in an easy to email format (preferably an easy to e-mail pdf).  When you’re pitching yourself, you will inevitably hear the words “Send me something,” so  be ready with samples of your best work. If you’re a great writer, have your best clips handy. If you’re a graphic designer, your most beautiful creations. If you’re an event planner, create a portfolio that visually captures the essence of your most memorable events. Done a little media relations? Mock up a case study or two that includes your pitch and resulting coverage.

Analyze the News for Buried Leads-Pun Intended. This may sound like a no-brainer, but it bears repeating anyway.  You should always read the paper and follow the business section, your town’s business journal and any industry publications that pertain to you.  Look for interesting events, developments and projects that will be coming down the pipeline in the coming months.  Do some digging to find out who is doing the PR for a particular project so that you can approach them with your portfolio. Read the full story

I’m doing something new today. I come across amazing, talented people all the time.  I profile some of them for Test Drive My Job, Senior Counsel or How to Pitch. But occasionally I meet very impressive people who are looking for work.  Brilliant, talented and eager to work in PR and communications, I wish I could put them all in a building and start my own mega-firm! And someday, I just might.

Just because you don’t have a job does not mean I won’t profile you. If you’ve impressed me with your job-seeking skills and hustle, you might just find yourself on Mopwater PR + Notes.  Like Karyn Watkins.  I “met” her on Twitter.  She was tweeting about her search for PR work in DC, so I contacted her and we met for coffee.  Currently living in her hometown of Chicago, Karyn writes The Fabulous Giver–an amazing blog on philanthropy. She also writes a philanthropy column for the Examiner.  Very tech and new media savvy. Sharp young lady. Check her out–she won’t be “retired” for long!

Name: Karyn Watkins, 25

Current City: Chicago, Illinois

Looking For: A Healthcare or Non-Profit PR Job in DC or Chicago

Our Notes: Great writer, awesome personality

On the Web: The Fabulous Giver

Mopwater: Can you give me  a quick description of your decision to leave advertising and move into PR?
Karyn: Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work in various facets of marketing communications from sales to advertising. I’ve learned so much from each experience! However, it’s becoming very clear that the Internet is changing the way that people interact with each other and with companies. I knew that I wanted to be a greater participant in the conversations happening between people, businesses, and donors about various brands, initiatives, and organizations. So, it seemed only natural that I switch it up and move into public relations.

Mopwater: How is the search going? How long has it been? What is your ultimate  goal?
Karyn: I’ve been “retired” for almost five months, but honestly, I didn’t start my job search until January of this year as I wanted to focus on writing and volunteering. So far though, I think that the search is going well. I’m not saying that the opportunities are endless, but in all fairness, I can’t totally blame it on the economy. I have a specific idea of the tasks and creativity needed to do my next job, and while I’m willing to compromise a little, I can’t compromise it all strictly because the Dow Jones tells me that I should! After all, I courageously and voluntarily left my previous employer to pursue my ideal career path and I just can’t throw that away.

My ultimate goal is to land in a public relations or communications position within the healthcare or nonprofit sector. I am either looking to stay in Chicago or relocate to the Washington D.C. Area. There are pros and cons to each decision, but I’ll just have to weigh the opportunities once they become available to me! Read the full story

I recently received a query from a Mopwater PR + Media Notes reader. A regular networking reception attendee, this reader wanted to know how people were handling that awkward space between just meeting someone in person and trying to get to know them on-line. Particularly when the in-meeting was professional in nature, it’s tough to always know how to follow up, how much to follow up and when following up is considered pestering.

After meeting promising leads in person, this reader says she immediately sets up Google alerts for her new contact’s clients and/or projects so she can send a note that says, “Hey I saw this and it was great” or “Thought this may interest you.” But what else are people doing?

I went to the experts to find out.

Reno Lovison, author of Turn Your Business Card Into Business told me that he sees networking as more art than science.

“It’s difficult to come up with a one size fits all follow-up approach,” he writes. “It begins at the point of contact. I try to learn something unique about the person I meet so that I am seeing that person as an individual not just another face with a business card. In my email follow up I try to share (as best as possible) some information that is pertinent to that person. This helps us both to remember what was meaningful about our encounter.”

Lovison says that lately when appropriate, he’s started blogging some information about his new contacts as as a way to better connect him or her with his network. This gives him a chance to follow up with an email that drives new contacts to his site and also demonstrates that Lovison is really interested in referring business to them.

” In some cases this becomes the beginning of an ongoing dialogue… It is time consuming but the idea is to be personal and sincere and not treat people as a generic commodity.”

Elaine Masters is a yoga instructor who regularly attends health expos where she captures e-mail addresses in order to inform people if they’ve won a prize through her raffle. She follows up with her newsletter Drivetime Yoga Notes, which offers tips on taking the stress out of driving.

“I follow up once or twice a month with another that has special offers on my book and cd, plus one or two very brief items on staying stress free or other interesting notes related to life behind the wheel,” Masters says. “What do I get out of it? A few sales, great testimonials, forwarding to friends, list-building that’s going to be leveraged into affiliate programs and joint ventures. It’s not always the immediate ROI but I’m servicing the clients and it does surprise me once in awhile with offers to present or better. The business is small but growing.” Read the full story