Networking Workflows That Build Real Trust (Without the Hustle)

I tried to set up a networking workflow last month and almost gave up.

Not because I didn’t understand the concept. I got it—capture contacts, follow up consistently, build relationships. Simple enough.

The problem was reality.

I met Sarah at a conference. Had a great conversation about email marketing. Swapped cards. Meant to follow up.

Then I took three client calls, answered 47 emails, and completely forgot about Sarah until two weeks later when I saw her card on my desk.

By then? Too awkward.

Here’s what nobody tells you about networking workflows: Most CRM and marketing automation tools are built for lists, not life.

They’re great if you’re uploading 500 contacts from a webinar. But when you’re meeting people one at a time—at conferences, networking events, random coffee meetings—most tools make it nearly impossible to capture that person and get them into a follow-up sequence right then.

You meet someone. Exchange cards. Have a real conversation.

And then what? You’re supposed to go home, log into your CRM on your laptop, manually enter their info, remember the context of your conversation, and set up a follow-up task?

If you’re having three conversations a day, that system falls apart fast.

The real goal of networking isn’t collecting contacts. It’s building relationships with real people, one conversation at a time.

And that requires three things:

1. Capturing the contact immediately (before you forget the context)
2. Getting them into a simple follow-up sequence (so they don’t fall through the cracks)
3. Staying engaged over time (email, social media, actual conversations)

Most tools handle step 3. Almost none of them make steps 1 and 2 easy when you’re on the go.

The good news? There are tools that make this work in real life. And the workflows I’m about to show you work whether you’re using simple free tools or a full CRM system.

Let me show you three real networking workflows I use to turn connections into community.

The “Pocket Capture”

This is, by far, the most common way that you’re going to meet people — on the go; at a conference, at a meeting, or a one-to-one meeting on Zoom.

So, you need an easy way to have that conversation, grab their card or email and drop them into a simple, relatively general, “stay-in-touch” email sequence.

When to use it: Right after you meet someone IRL or on Zoom

Why it matters: Most connections die in the 24 hours after you meet. Don’t let yours die in your pocket.

Here’s what works:

The No-Tech Version:

• Take a photo of their business card with your phone camera
• Email it to yourself with 2-3 sentences about context
• Set a calendar reminder for one week out to follow up

The Nimble Version:

Nimble is BY FAR the fastest, easiest way to to implement this kind of workflow. All you’ll need is a Nimble account and the Nimble mobile app.

• Using the Nimble App, you can scan their business card (or pull up a picture of a business card from your photo gallery). You can also grab their LinkedIn profile, click on the “share” option in the menu, and simply add them to your Nimble Contacts
• Add a voice note or quick comment: “met at She Podcasts, she does YouTube SEO, her podcast is hilarious”
• Assign them to a workflow stage (ex: Warm — 8 Week Rotation). Nimble has an awesome workflow and email outreach function that is fast and easy to set up. Their AI writing tool is fantastic as well. So you can set this up in less than 30 minutes. I recommend that you create several different sequences that represent 80% of your follow-up strategies and your relationship management is on autopilot.

I’ve been using Nimble since it was launched specifically for relationship building with my referral network. While lots of organizations of all sizes use Nimble as a CRM, I use it specifically for buiding and maintaining personal and professional referral relationships.

The Zoho One Version:

I use Zoho One to run my business. While you could use Zoho Bigin as a simple CRM, it’s not as intuitive and easy to add contacts individually and send email sequences. To accomplish this, you will have to integrate Bigin with Zoho Campaigns. And for that reason, I use it as a way to manage relationships with my general audience.

• Add contact directly in Zoho CRM mobile app
• Use the “Notes” field to capture context and conversation details
• Tag them with categories like “Referral Partner” or “Podcast Guest”
• Set a follow-up task for 7 days automatically

This tiny habit has saved me from hundreds of awkward “hey, remember me?” emails.

The “Signal Scanner”

When to use it: 5-10 minutes each morning

Why it matters: LinkedIn is noisy. The right workflow helps you focus on the right people.

Here’s what works:

The Manual Version:

• Create a private LinkedIn list of your top 50 contacts
• Check their recent posts each morning
• Comment thoughtfully on 3-5 posts

The LeadDelta Version:

• Tag your top contacts (Clients, Referral Partners, Prospects)
• Create a custom engagement feed
• Scan your private feed daily for signals: job changes, announcements, etc.

The Zoho One Version:

• Use Zoho Social to create custom lists of key LinkedIn connections
• Set up monitoring for specific contacts
• Get notifications when they post or share content
• Track engagement directly from your Zoho dashboard

Your Networking Workflows Starter Pack

Here’s everything you need to get started:

Budget-Friendly Option:

• Google Calendar (free) — for 8-week rotation reminders
• LinkedIn native lists (free) — for manual signal scanning
• Phone camera (free) — for capturing business cards

Single-Tool Option:

• Nimble CRM ($25/month, 14-day free trial) — handles contact capture, social signals, and timeline reminders all in one place

All-in-One Option:

• Zoho One ($45/month for all apps) — includes CRM, social monitoring, email, and automation workflows
• Best for businesses already using multiple tools

Specialized Add-On:

• LeadDelta — for a clean, distraction-free LinkedIn experience (pairs well with any CRM)

Frequently Asked Questions