Best Ways To Follow Up After Community Events

Over the past year, I’ve spent hundreds of hours with women's communities and networks across the U.S. My key take-aways: 💚 Mission-driven. 💲 Underfunded. 🛠️ Doing too much with too little. The passion is not the problem. It’s the lack of structure, systems, and digital support behind the scenes.These leaders are running on duct tape and late nights.They’re juggling spreadsheets, Slack channels, registration links, reminders, emails, and engagement metrics — manually. Limited data, limited insights. And AI? Feels like a buzzword without clear tangible applications. That’s why I’m starting this series: 🔹 Short 🔹 Clear 🔹 Actionable tech tips for women’s orgs. No hype. No jargon. Just one useful shift at a time. Because if we’re going to change outcomes, we have to start by lightening the load. 🔧 Today’s Tip: Post-Event Follow-Up Without the Burnout You hosted the event. You showed up, moderated, answered questions, gave everything. And now? You’re staring at the Zoom recording… dreading the recap email. You don't want to lose momentum because the event landed and want to make sure the follow-through does not get buried under everything else. This is where AI can quietly save hours. 💡 Try this with your transcript: If your event platform gave you a transcript (Zoom, Otter, Descript, etc.), use this prompt in ChatGPT (or any other AI tool you like): “I’m pasting a raw transcript from a community event. Please do the following: Remove timestamps, speaker names, and filler phrases (like ‘you’re on mute’) Keep only the real discussion/insight moments Summarize into 2–3 takeaways Write a short, warm follow-up email to attendees” [Insert your transcript excerpt here — ideally 500–1500 words] No rewatching. No rewriting from scratch. Just tweak and send. 🧠 Good follow-up is a growth strategy — not just a nice-to-have. And this is one place where AI can truly take something off your plate. #AIForCommunity #DigitalTools #WomenInLeadership #NonprofitOps #CommunityStrategy

Someone said "You should teach a transition class at events like these" while at the Air & Space Forces Association annual event in DC yesterday I explained that I have done that before...but attendance at these major events typically fell into 2x buckets: 1 - many of the senior leaders attending weren't even thinking about their transition, so they focused on talking with friends, attending events & industry engagement 2 - the ones in their transition window were hell-bent focused on "finding a job" by going to pitch themselves to every major defense contractor in attendance #quinnsights Going to these booths and saying "I'm the ...." doesn't tell them anything about what you want or can do Companies don't come to these major events to hire (they come to sell and form partnerships) And that events like these (AFA & AUSA) don't typically "get you a job" They give you an entry point (someone to speak to & maybe build a relationship) #militarytransition But the key to every event is FOLLOW UP What should you do? 1 - connect with them on LinkedIn every time Show them your QR code right there and wait for their connection request to come through (sneaky way to ensure they do) 2 - Go into My Network each night and look at your newest connections They are organized chronologically, so they will all be people from the event 3 - Send them a quick note on LinkedIn saying how great it was to meet them at (insert event name) and that you would love to stay in touch for advice This locks in that you met face-to-face in their Inbox...always leaving a reminder there in case either side reaches out (not a cold pitch) 4 - Make a networking spreadsheet that tracks the people you met AND who responded For the ones that responded, asked some simple questions or for a short advice phone call, if appropriate For the ones that didn't - send an additional follow up message one week later to thank them again and add a short easy question (they'll be back from the event & likely have more time) #militarytransition Once you get to the calls, ask questions to learn and listen more than talk to find your success Questions? Is there anything you would add? And will I see you at the AUSA Fireside Chat/Transition Panel on Tuesday Oct 15 from 1300-1500 in Rm 147A/B in the Washington Convention Center?

Event Season Insights: How to Elevate Your Follow-Up Game 🚀 I'm back from an incredible week at SaaStr and there's something I couldn't help but notice 👀 Many companies are missing a golden opportunity when it comes to event follow-ups Too often it's just a race to scan badges, hand out swag, and move on. But here's the thing Sending out templated, soulless emails saying "Hey, I saw you at our booth" just doesn't cut it. It's like sending a message that screams I don't remember you but I have to do this 🙅♂️ So here's a game-changer for your event strategy 🔑 Don't just scan badges; connect and build relationships. Find 1 to 3 unique things about each person you meet. It could be their goals, their thoughts on the event, or anything else that sparks a real conversation. For example I met Tom at our booth. Instead of just scanning his badge, I had a chat with him. I learned about his goals, his event experience, and even what kind of swag he liked. Then I made sure to jot this down in our CRM. Fast forward to the follow-up I could reach out to Tom and say, "Hey Tom, great meeting you at the booth. Sarah mentioned you were interested in XYZ. By the way, hope you liked those awesome socks! 😉 This approach isn't about sending hundreds of templated emails and hoping for the best. It's about personalizing your follow-up and showing that you care. 🤝 It's time to change the game. Next time you're at an event remember It's not about collecting names. It's about making meaningful connections. Drop a 👋 if you're ready to level up your event follow-up game! And if you are at Dreamforce come say Hi! I'm here! It's my 1st one lets go 💪😎

There’s something you can’t replicate through screens, emails, or Zoom—and that’s being in the room. I just got back from two different trial lawyer conferences. And every time, I’m reminded: the real value isn’t just the content—it’s the people. The hallway chats. The late-night dinners. The chance encounters that turn into long-term relationships. If you’re serious about growing in this business, get out there. Show up. Shake hands. Listen. Be curious. But here’s where most folks drop the ball: They don’t follow up. If you meet someone you respect—or even someone you just enjoyed talking to—don’t let it end at the conference. Here’s how I follow up in a way that actually builds connection (without being transactional): Send a quick message within a few days → “Great meeting you at [event]—really appreciated the convo about [topic].” Find a way to be helpful → Share an article, introduce them to someone, send over a resource they might like. No pitch. Just give. Keep it warm → Comment on their posts. Shoot them a message a month later. Invite them to something you’re attending. Networking isn’t about working the room—it’s about staying in touch. And when you follow up without asking for anything, people remember you for all the right reasons. #networking #lawyer #law #triallawyer #trial #legal #lawfirm