For most real estate professionals, getting ready for a networking event has become second nature: gather up your business cards, put on your real estate name badge, and prepare your elevator speech. But as important as it is to have all that down, what you do after the meeting can be just as important.

When you make  a new connection, following up with them – even if it’s just to say “It was nice to meet you!” – is an absolutely vital part of the process. Yet far too many people neglect this simple and important step.

It’s easy to see why it happens. People get busy, forget to send the email right away (or put it off because they don’t think it’s important), and then before you know it a week has gone by and it doesn’t make sense any more to send a “Nice to meet you” email.

But as easy as it is to put off, following up can make all the difference when it comes to networking. It strengthens the initial connection. It shows people that you are reliable and courteous. It brings your relationship into the digital sphere, opening things up for further communication. And after a whirlwind networking event, where your new connection may have met twenty new people, following up can make you far more memorable.

There are some ways to make getting connected – and following up – a little easier:

• Always wear a real estate name badge. It’s a great way to make yourself more noticeable, and people will be able to tell that you’re a real estate professional from across the room. That way, the people who are most interested in talking to you will be able to find you easily.

• Choose a memorable business card. When you send a follow-up email or Facebook message, the recipient will most likely look through the business cards he or she collected to try to connect a face with the name. If yours stands out, people are much more likely to remember who you are. You can even consider mentioning it in your email: “I was the one with the bright red Keller Williams business card.”

• Set up a system. Make it easy to remember to send your follow up emails, and you’ll be far more likely to get it done. It might mean sending the emails from your phone as soon as you leave the event, or setting aside time the morning after a networking meeting so you can get them done first thing. Whatever method you choose, make it automatic, something you do every time. Before you know it, following up will be an unbreakable habit – and your business will bloom.