Go Where They Are...Touching Your Social Networks...
In a simpler time, I had everything about my contacts in Outlook.
My strategy is simple. At a minimum, a network contact will
- get an email from me with a brief update quarterly
- get a call from me on his/her birthday
Over time, as my network has expanded, it's become more and more difficult for me to keep up and keep the data clean.
While the advantages of a single source of data are clear, it's also self-centered--a bit.
I have contacts all over the place and, to some extent, I need to modify the way I relate to people by virtue of the choices they have made in terms of mega-social network or tool (FB, LinkedIn, Plaxo, etc.) And, I have to go where they are.
It's a bit more work, yes, but relationships are work.
And, if you take a page out of the Keith Ferrazi playbook, they are your biggest asset. So, wouldn't they be worth the investment?
Comments
Venkat said on 3.16.2008 at 9:58 AM
Though I like Ferrazi's approach and liked the book a lot, I simply can't be this deliberate about networking (I don't remember birthdays even for family :). I agree that you can't take a shortcut when it comes to relationship work, but to me 'touch' and keeping relationships alive and healthy has to happen in the natural course of day to day work, and since I am NOT in marketing/sales, this 'natural course' touches few people on a regular basis.
So for me, my blog has become among my key instruments to network in a natural way. 1:1 high quality article forwards are another. I am slowly discovering other ways...the key for me is 'reactive/opportunistic' over 'deliberate.' If I have to plan or regularly schedule relationship work, I know it won't work for me.
Venkat
The Admin said on 3.17.2008 at 2:29 PM
I don't think iit's a 'marketing/sales' thing, perhaps b/c I think that, in some way, everyone is in marketing/sales :-)
I guess I just found that, over the long haul (particularly if you move around a lot) that the natural touches which are definitely nice, just don't happen. As a result, your network shrinks. If I haven't done the programmatic stuff over the intervening 10 years, it's pretty bizarre if I call you and say "hey, I"m in Denver, let's hang out..."
Thoughts?
Venkat said on 3.18.2008 at 9:11 AM
Hmm... I'd say my response is that a mix of "stochastic outreach" activity (1:1 email forwards and blog cross talk being prime examples) and just an evolution in social norms makes it possible to not take a deliberate approach, but you are right, any such randomized strategy will always leave some corners of your network untouched... I wouldn't say it is a solved problem.