Never confuse the adrenaline of an event with the buying intent of a prospect

Beware of networking euphoria!

It can be dangerous for your sales pipeline and your credibility as a salesperson.

You’ve at a networking event or trade show. The atmosphere is fantastic. The conversations are flowing and everyone is full of energy and optimism.

Then you meet someone who says, That’s exactly what we need and we should definitely have a proper conversation. Let’s catch up in the next few weeks.

You leave feeling brilliant. You’ve made some fantastic connections and you’ve got potential opportunities in the pipeline.

That one conversation, the one that felt like a red hot lead?

You follow up a few days later. Nothing. You send another email. You try calling.

Still nothing.

The person who was so enthusiastic when you met them has seemingly vanished off the face of the earth.

What happened?

Quite possibly, nothing at all.

They were caught up in the atmosphere just like you were. The event was buzzing, the conversation was enjoyable and your solution sounded interesting in the moment. But interest in a conversation is not the same as intent to buy and enthusiasm is not a commitment.

This doesn’t mean networking events are a waste of time, far from it. They can be brilliant sources of new business.

As salespeople, and business owners, we need to be careful not to mistake a great interaction for a genuine sales opportunity.

Instead of simply exchanging business cards and promising to catch up, ask a few questions.

What specifically are you looking to solve? Why is this a priority for you now? Who else would be involved in a decision? What would be a sensible next step?

And, ideally, control what happens next and agree a specific time to speak before you part company.

Then qualify the opportunity based on what happens next, not just how good the conversation felt at the event.

Enjoy the excitement and buzz at these events, and value the connection. But don’t forecast the deal, because the real test of a lead isn’t what someone says when the room is buzzing.

It’s what they do when they’re back at their desk on Monday morning that matters.