How to Reconnect With Professional Contacts
When it comes to developing networks, the best advice is to never lose touch., Time has a way of escaping us so it is completely understandable when people lose touch., The first step to getting back in touch is reviewing your email archive., Use...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: When it comes to developing networks
Regardless of the distance, try your best to send periodic (monthly or bimonthly) email updates or blog posts to those people you have worked with or met at events.
Even if you do not think you have anything in common when you first meet, you never know when a network contact will have a best friend you need to know. -
Step 2: the best advice is to never lose touch.
When it is time to call on old contacts, however, do your best to be considerate and polite.
Focus on learning about how they have been and not on what you need. , Go through your old messages and see when the last time was that you were in touch.
What were you discussing then? What were they doing? How did you leave things? This refresher will come in very handy when you are trying to start up conversation. , Utilize these sites for additional information on what your contact is working on today.
Note:
If you are requesting to follow a contact on Twitter or be their friend on Facebook, you need to make sure you send them a message with the request.
Mention that you can't believe you have not been socially linked before and ask about what they are working on. , On a company or university Web site you can discover what events and activities are taking place, who has been recently hired and even read blogs from corporate leaders about the industry. , By finding a contact's blog online you are able to catch up on all the events that have taken place in their lives since you last spoke.
An easy way to reconnect through blogs is by leaving a personal comment about a recent post.
Let the person know you have been following their work online but would love to see them in person. , Always begin a letter, email or Facebook message with a short introduction of how you met and why you were thankful for the introduction.
Were they a professor for your first-year biology class? Tell them that you were recently reviewing your old papers and found work you completed in their class.
Were they introduced to you at a social event? Remind them of how great it was to meet there and how much you appreciated learning about their business.
If you do not paint a memory for them of who you were and how you met, they may not feel obligated to call you back. , Do not show up at someone's office or for coffee without having researched what is happening in their world.
If you are meeting with an old professor, find out when homecoming is or what classes they are teaching this semester. , -
Step 3: Time has a way of escaping us so it is completely understandable when people lose touch.
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Step 4: The first step to getting back in touch is reviewing your email archive.
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Step 5: Use Google
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Step 6: Twitter or LinkedIn to find out if you have up-to-date contact information.
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Step 7: Remember where that person worked and visit the organization's Web site.
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Step 8: Search for blogs and online journals.
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Step 9: Remind the contact where they met you.
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Step 10: Prepare for the meeting.
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Step 11: Keep in mind that relationship building is important for everybody and most people will be pleasantly surprised by your effort.
Detailed Guide
Regardless of the distance, try your best to send periodic (monthly or bimonthly) email updates or blog posts to those people you have worked with or met at events.
Even if you do not think you have anything in common when you first meet, you never know when a network contact will have a best friend you need to know.
When it is time to call on old contacts, however, do your best to be considerate and polite.
Focus on learning about how they have been and not on what you need. , Go through your old messages and see when the last time was that you were in touch.
What were you discussing then? What were they doing? How did you leave things? This refresher will come in very handy when you are trying to start up conversation. , Utilize these sites for additional information on what your contact is working on today.
Note:
If you are requesting to follow a contact on Twitter or be their friend on Facebook, you need to make sure you send them a message with the request.
Mention that you can't believe you have not been socially linked before and ask about what they are working on. , On a company or university Web site you can discover what events and activities are taking place, who has been recently hired and even read blogs from corporate leaders about the industry. , By finding a contact's blog online you are able to catch up on all the events that have taken place in their lives since you last spoke.
An easy way to reconnect through blogs is by leaving a personal comment about a recent post.
Let the person know you have been following their work online but would love to see them in person. , Always begin a letter, email or Facebook message with a short introduction of how you met and why you were thankful for the introduction.
Were they a professor for your first-year biology class? Tell them that you were recently reviewing your old papers and found work you completed in their class.
Were they introduced to you at a social event? Remind them of how great it was to meet there and how much you appreciated learning about their business.
If you do not paint a memory for them of who you were and how you met, they may not feel obligated to call you back. , Do not show up at someone's office or for coffee without having researched what is happening in their world.
If you are meeting with an old professor, find out when homecoming is or what classes they are teaching this semester. ,
About the Author
Christine Ramirez
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in lifestyle and beyond.
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