We attend conferences to learn, grow and meet new people. And if you come across someone interesting who can advance your business, it’s important to send a message when you’re back at your desk to keep the dialogue going.

Here’s how:

Subject line: Great to meet you at [name of event/conference; for instance, “BizCon 2000”]

Hi [person’s first name],

I’m [your first and last name] with [name of company].

It was nice to meet you at [name of event/conference]. I enjoyed learning more about [what you gleaned from the other person; for instance, “the work you do at Acme Corporation related to finance and accounting. Plus, I needed someone to joke with during that boring keynote address”].

Let’s keep the discussion going. [Then, the next step; for instance, “As I mentioned, our company is looking for a new accounting firm and yours may be a good fit. I will connect you with our CFO in a separate email so you two can meet.”]

Thanks again,

– Leader’s first name

Email signature

Deeper Insight

Put the name of the event/conference where you met in the subject line (ex: BizCon 2000). The proper noun makes your email more recognizable in a crowded inbox. Also, make sure to explain the next step “looking for a new accounting firm”). The person may not want to follow up if he/she doesn’t know the “why.”