A good conversation ends with the other person giving up something they value.
The currencies are time, reputation and money:
- Time — a scheduled next session, a trial with real data, a workshop
- Reputation — an introduction to their team, their boss, a peer
- Money — a deposit, a pre-order, a signed letter of intent
"Great, keep me posted" is not a commitment. It is a polite exit, and treating it as traction is how six months disappear.
Before each conversation, decide what the next commitment would be. If you cannot name one, you are not ready to have the conversation yet.