Networking vs Working the Room

I have been thinking a lot lately about Networking. I have been attending networking events, have gone to events specifically on Networking education, and am reading a few books right now on the subject. It finally dawned on me that Networking is extremely different than Working the Room. Yes, it took all that but I finally get it.

I went into my quest for knowledge on networking specifically looking for information on how to approach and build rapport with strangers. I have always been shy to walk into a room full of people already grouped together in discussion when I know no one. But after some introspection this perceived idfficulty I now have the confidence to hold my head up when walking into a room and engaging with a person standing by himself or can walk up to a group and join their conversation (which is more difficult). However, I didn’t realize that the follow-up and relationship building is the more important part of networking. And that you can’t just follow up once, you have to put it on your calendar to follow up again and establish yourself as a resource based on a rapport-building topic or something you have in common. And that has been harder for me – to uncover something in an initial conversation that gives me a good reason to follow up and be a true resource, friend, partner, supplier, etc. Does anyone have any good books on that topic?