How to Stay in Touch: Practical Examples for Networking

The Importance of Staying in Touch

• 💡 Networking is highlighted as a crucial skill, with one podcast episode on building networks being particularly impactful.
• 🎯 Strong relationships, both internal and external, are essential for career advancement, seeking opportunities, and gaining support for ideas.
• 🔑 The concept of 'politics' in a professional setting is reframed as collaboration, which is built on strong relationships.

Strategies for Reaching Out

• 📞 When calling, leaving a brief voicemail is recommended, especially after hours, to avoid creating an obligation.
• 📧 For emails, a simple subject line like "Keeping in Touch" or "Reconnecting" is sufficient; avoid asking direct questions to reduce the recipient's burden.
• 🗓️ The core recommendation is to reach out at least once a quarter, or more frequently for closer contacts, to maintain relationships.

Crafting Your Message

• 💬 Voicemail examples include mentioning a recent thought, wishing well, and keeping it brief, like "Hope this finds you good. Thought of you and hope the move went well."
• ✨ Email examples focus on a brief update and well wishes, such as "Hope you're well. Things are good here. Looking forward to summer vacation."
• 🚫 Avoid asking questions in your outreach messages to prevent creating a sense of obligation for the recipient.

Overcoming Reluctance to Connect

• 🚀 Reaching out, even when uncomfortable, is presented as a necessary step for career success, emphasizing that discomfort is not a reason to avoid action.
• 🤝 The analogy of a kettle on the back burner illustrates maintaining relationships by staying in touch periodically, rather than waiting until a need arises.
• ⚠️ If direct contact is difficult, consider following up with an email to show respect for the other person's time.

Other Methods for Staying in Touch

• 🎟️ Attending industry events and mapping out who to meet can be effective, especially if you've pre-arranged connections.
• 🤝 Participating in cross-organizational teams provides a natural way to build and maintain relationships within your company.
• 🎉 Acknowledge and congratulate others on their successes, such as promotions or project completions, as a way to strengthen connections.