Create Deep Connections

Greetings. I hope you are all well and that the recession is not biting too badly – you can keep it at bay by working to expand your network and enhance the value of your connections with others.

You need meaningful connections with members of your network. Superficial connections do not lead to the ready exchange of business ideas and referrals that we as networkers seek. If you want people to keep you ‘top of mind’, the connection must be an authentic one.

A simple test to ask of yourself and your connection with others is this – do we have a ‘Mayday’ connection, or does it go deeper? A ‘Mayday’ connection is one which is activated either by you or your associate, friend or contact calling one another only when in need of assistance (help, or a business referral). Deep, authentic connections on the other hand are maintained through regular contact made for the sake of keeping that contact alive. If you do this, the connections are established and warm, not merely a list of people to harvest in time of need.

How do we create the deeper, more authentic connections that we need? Call or otherwise contact people regularly – once every 4 – 6 weeks – simply to say ‘Hello’ and to exchange news, views or to give them useful information. Of course it can be onerous – especially if your network is a large one. This is where a regular newsletter is really useful. You can ‘skip’ the direct contact at least every alternate time, by making contact through an e-mail, a newsletter or by referring them to the latest post on your blog. Make sure that you deliver something of special interest or value in the message or blog entry. Don’t be tempted to skip too many direct contacts however – there is nothing as important as one-to-one contact to keep the ‘kettle boiling’.