How to Avoid Sending “Plea Mail”

Published on: Friday, February 29, 2008       Comments (0)       Category: Reality Check, 

Unfortunately, not a couple weeks go by when I don’t get an email from a friend or acquaintance that they are heading toward transition and need some help with networking. The professional in me is always accommodating, offering guidance and connections, but there is often a moment where I want to shake them by the shoulders and remind them that building a network is not an instantaneous activity.

Networking is often reactive — something gave you a good scare and you reinforce your safety net — but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you think you are too busy or too shy, networking doesn’t have to be time-consuming or painful.

You can start by sending a complimentary email to a blogger who you often read or an author you admire; responding to a discussion in an ExecuNet special interest Roundtable; answering a question in a forum or message board; creating interaction in the comments section of this online community; or introducing two individuals who might benefit from knowing each other. While these gestures won’t immediately provide you with a slew of valuable connections, they all take just a few moments to put your name and a message in front of an audience.

For every networking “plea-mail” I get, I also receive an almost equal number of emails from individuals I don’t know, who have responded to something I wrote somewhere and want to make a connection. Sometimes they share a similar experience, offer advice or introduce me to someone else. Whatever the reason, their names are preserved in my inbox, with a permanently positive association attached.