How to Follow Up After IB Networking Events

The networking event ends, you have a pocket full of business cards, and now comes the part that actually matters: the follow-up. Most candidates understand that networking is essential for breaking into investment banking, but surprisingly few execute the follow-up effectively. The conversation you had at that info session or coffee chat means nothing if you fail to convert it into an ongoing relationship.

Following up properly separates candidates who land interviews from those who wonder why their networking efforts never produce results. Bankers meet dozens of students at every event, and without a thoughtful follow-up, you become just another face in the crowd. The good news is that executing follow-ups well is entirely within your control, and most of your competition will not put in the effort to do it right.

This guide covers exactly when and how to follow up, what to include in your messages, how to handle non-responses, and how to maintain relationships over time. Whether you just attended your first info session or have been networking for months, these strategies will help you maximize the return on every conversation.

Why Follow-Up Matters More Than the Event Itself

The networking event is just the opening. The real relationship building happens afterward through consistent, thoughtful follow-up. Understanding why this matters will motivate you to treat follow-up as the priority it deserves to be.

First Impressions Fade Quickly

Bankers meet countless students, especially during recruiting season. That five-minute conversation you thought went brilliantly? The analyst you spoke with may have had fifteen similar conversations that same evening. Without a follow-up, your interaction becomes just another blur in their memory.

A prompt, personalized follow-up message serves as a memory anchor. By referencing specific details from your conversation, you help the banker recall who you are and what you discussed. This transforms you from "another student at the event" into a specific person they remember talking to.

Follow-Up Demonstrates Professionalism

Investment banking demands attention to detail, follow-through, and professional communication. Your follow-up message provides a direct sample of these qualities. A polished, timely email signals that you understand professional norms and can execute reliably.

Conversely, failing to follow up, sending a sloppy message, or waiting too long all send negative signals. Bankers consciously and unconsciously evaluate whether candidates would represent their team well to clients. Your follow-up is part of that evaluation.

Relationships Require Multiple Touchpoints

One conversation rarely leads directly to a referral or interview. Professional relationships develop through repeated positive interactions over time. The follow-up initiates a cadence of communication that, if maintained properly, builds genuine familiarity and trust.

Think of each follow-up as depositing into a relationship bank account. Enough deposits over time create the goodwill and familiarity that eventually translate into referrals, interview tips, and advocacy during the recruiting process.

Timing Your Follow-Up Perfectly

When you send your follow-up matters almost as much as what you say. The 24-to-48-hour window after an event represents the sweet spot for initial outreach.

The 24-Hour Rule

Send your follow-up email within 24 hours of the networking event whenever possible. This timing offers several advantages:

If the event happened on a Friday evening, sending your follow-up Saturday morning or afternoon works well. Waiting until Monday means competing with the week's email flood and relying on memories that have had time to fade.

Same-Day Follow-Up for High-Priority Contacts

For especially important connections, consider sending your follow-up the same day as the event. This aggressive timing makes sense when you had a particularly strong conversation, when the person is senior enough that impressing them matters significantly, or when you discussed a specific opportunity with time sensitivity.

Same-day follow-ups also work well after one-on-one coffee chats, where the conversation was substantive enough that immediate follow-up feels natural rather than eager.

Never Wait More Than 48 Hours

Beyond 48 hours, your follow-up loses most of its impact. The banker's memory fades, your promptness advantage disappears, and the message feels like an afterthought rather than a genuine expression of appreciation. If life circumstances prevent timely follow-up, send the message anyway with a brief acknowledgment of the delay, but recognize that you have lost some ground.

Crafting the Perfect Follow-Up Email

The content of your follow-up determines whether it strengthens the relationship or gets deleted without a second thought. Personalization and brevity are your two guiding principles.

Essential Elements of Every Follow-Up

Every effective follow-up email includes these components:

The entire email should fit in one screen view without scrolling. Bankers receive hundreds of emails daily and will not read lengthy messages from students they barely know.

Opening Line That Triggers Memory

Your opening line should immediately remind the banker who you are and when you met. Be specific about the context:

The Personalization That Actually Matters

Reference something specific from your conversation that proves you were paying attention and that you are not sending a templated mass email. This detail is what transforms a forgettable message into one worth remembering.

Strong personalization examples:

Weak personalization to avoid:

Providing Value or Suggesting Next Steps

The best follow-ups either provide something of value or propose a specific next action. This forward momentum distinguishes relationship builders from one-time emailers.

Not every follow-up needs a direct ask. Sometimes simply expressing appreciation and leaving the door open for future contact is appropriate, especially after brief event conversations.

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Sample Follow-Up Email Templates

These templates provide starting points that you should customize significantly for each specific situation and person. Using templates verbatim defeats the purpose of personalized follow-up.

After a Networking Event (Brief Conversation)

Subject: Great meeting you at [Event Name]

Hi [First Name],

It was great meeting you at the [Bank Name] info session last night. I really appreciated hearing your perspective on [specific topic discussed], especially your point about [particular insight they shared].

Your advice about [specific recommendation] gave me a clearer direction for my preparation. Thank you for being so generous with your time.

I would love to stay in touch as I continue learning about opportunities at [Bank Name]. Please let me know if there is ever anything I can do to be helpful.

Best regards, [Your Name]

After a Coffee Chat or Phone Call

Subject: Thank you for the conversation

Hi [First Name],

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me [today/yesterday]. The 30 minutes flew by, and I learned a tremendous amount about [specific topic] and your experience in [their group].

Your advice about [specific recommendation] was particularly valuable, and I am already [action you are taking based on their advice]. I also appreciated your candid perspective on [something honest they shared].

I will definitely keep you posted on my progress with [recruiting timeline or preparation]. If there is ever anything I can do to be helpful, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Best regards, [Your Name]

Following Up When Requesting a Call

Subject: Quick question about [Group/Bank] from [School Name] student

Hi [First Name],

I hope your week is going well. We met briefly at the [Event Name] on [date], where we discussed [specific topic]. Your insights about [particular point] really resonated with me.

I am continuing to learn about [Bank Name] and would greatly appreciate the opportunity to hear more about your experience in [their group]. Would you have 15-20 minutes for a brief call sometime in the next few weeks?

I am happy to work around your schedule. Thank you for considering it.

Best regards, [Your Name]

Handling Non-Responses Professionally

Not everyone will respond to your follow-up, and that is normal. How you handle non-responses reflects your professionalism and persistence without crossing into annoyance.

Wait One Week Before Following Up Again

If you do not receive a response within six to eight days, sending one follow-up is appropriate and even expected. Bankers are genuinely busy, and your email may have arrived during a live deal crunch or simply gotten buried.

Keep the follow-up brief:

Subject: Re: [Your Original Subject Line]

Hi [First Name],

I wanted to follow up on my note from last week. I understand how busy things can get, but I would still love the opportunity to [your original ask] if you have a few minutes.

No worries if the timing does not work. I appreciate your consideration.

Best, [Your Name]

Maximum Two to Three Follow-Ups

After your initial message and one or two follow-ups with no response, move on. Continuing to pursue someone who is not responding signals poor social awareness. Some people simply will not respond, whether due to busyness, disinterest, or company policy restrictions.

Focus your energy on contacts who engage. One responsive contact who becomes an advocate creates more value than ten non-responsive contacts you keep chasing.

Do Not Take Non-Responses Personally

Non-response usually reflects circumstances rather than judgment of you. The banker might be:

Maintain a positive attitude and professional demeanor. You may encounter this person again at future events, and burning bridges over non-response would be shortsighted.

Maintaining Relationships Over Time

Initial follow-up starts the relationship, but ongoing maintenance determines whether it develops into something valuable. Building a network means staying on people's radars appropriately over months or even years.

The Quarterly Touchpoint

For contacts you want to maintain but do not have active business with, reaching out every two to four months keeps the relationship warm without becoming annoying. These touchpoints should provide value rather than just asking for things.

Effective quarterly touchpoints include:

Providing Value Before Asking

The strongest networkers give more than they take. Before making significant asks, ensure you have provided value to the relationship. This might mean sharing useful information, making introductions, or simply being a positive presence they enjoy hearing from.

When you have built up goodwill through value provision, requests for referrals or interview tips feel like natural progressions rather than impositions.

Using LinkedIn Appropriately

LinkedIn provides a parallel channel for relationship maintenance. Connect with people after meeting them, engage thoughtfully with their posts occasionally, and use the platform for brief check-ins when appropriate.

However, LinkedIn should complement email rather than replace it for important communications. Job referral requests, substantive questions, and formal asks should go through email, where you can compose thoughtfully and the recipient can respond properly.

For more comprehensive networking strategies, see our guide on cold emailing for informational interviews.

Building a Follow-Up System

Effective networking requires organization. Without a system, you will lose track of contacts, forget to follow up, and miss opportunities to maintain relationships.

Track Every Interaction

Maintain a spreadsheet or CRM tracking:

This tracking ensures no contact falls through the cracks and helps you personalize future outreach by referencing past conversations.

Schedule Follow-Ups in Advance

When you send an email, immediately schedule your follow-up in case you do not receive a response. This removes the mental burden of remembering and ensures consistent execution.

Similarly, schedule quarterly touchpoints for valuable contacts so relationship maintenance happens systematically rather than sporadically.

Review Your Network Weekly

Set aside fifteen minutes weekly to review your networking tracker. Identify contacts due for follow-up, note any news relevant to your contacts, and plan your outreach for the coming week. This habit transforms networking from ad-hoc effort into systematic relationship building.

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Common Follow-Up Mistakes to Avoid

Even well-intentioned candidates sabotage their follow-up efforts through avoidable mistakes. Being aware of these pitfalls helps you steer clear.

Sending Mass Emails

Never send identical emails to multiple people at the same firm. Bankers compare notes, and discovering you sent the same message to five colleagues destroys your credibility instantly. Every email must be genuinely personalized to the specific person and conversation.

Being Too Aggressive

There is a line between persistent and pestering. Following up weekly, reaching out through multiple channels simultaneously, or escalating to senior contacts when juniors do not respond all cross this line. Read social cues and back off when someone is clearly not interested.

Asking Too Much Too Soon

Requesting a referral, interview, or major favor in your first follow-up is premature. Relationships need time to develop before significant asks become appropriate. Start with smaller requests like brief calls or advice, and escalate only after building genuine rapport.

Forgetting to Actually Follow Up

The most common mistake is simply not following up at all. Life gets busy, the email feels awkward to write, and days slip by until following up feels too late. Combat this by making follow-up a non-negotiable habit that happens within 24 hours regardless of how busy you are.

Key Takeaways

The follow-up is where networking actually happens. The event just creates the opportunity; your follow-up determines whether that opportunity becomes a relationship.

Send follow-ups within 24 hours while conversations remain fresh. Same-day follow-up works even better for high-priority contacts.

Personalization is essential. Reference specific details from your conversation to demonstrate genuine engagement and help the contact remember you.

Keep messages brief and professional. One screen of text maximum, clear identification of who you are, and either value provision or a reasonable next-step suggestion.

Handle non-responses gracefully. One or two follow-ups over two to three weeks is appropriate; beyond that, move on without burning bridges.

Build a system for tracking contacts, scheduling follow-ups, and maintaining relationships over time. Systematic networking outperforms sporadic effort.

Avoid common mistakes including mass emails, aggressive over-pursuit, premature asks, and simply forgetting to follow up at all.

Putting It Into Practice

The best time to implement these strategies is immediately after your next networking interaction. Do not wait for a major event or perfect opportunity. Start building the habit now with whatever contacts you have, even if they seem minor.

Review your existing network and identify contacts you have let lapse. Send a brief, value-providing touchpoint to restart those relationships. The cumulative effect of consistent follow-up compounds over time, and the candidates who start early develop networks that candidates who start late cannot match.

Your networking success depends far less on charm or luck than on systematic execution of follow-up fundamentals. Master these basics, apply them consistently, and watch your professional relationships multiply.