Networking Secrets From My Deadbeat Dad

"Hey, how's your mom?"

My stepfather asked 25 years after my mother passed away.

That's how a lot of you sound when you are reaching out to your network. Like an insincere deadbeat that only comes around when you want something. Gross.

"Hey, how's your mom?"

My stepfather asked 25 years after my mother passed away.

That's how a lot of you sound when you are reaching out to your network. Like an insincere deadbeat that only comes around when you want something. Gross.

When I broke the news to him, he vanished offline.

Don't be like that guy. Don't hit folks up with a request FIRST. If it's been ages since you've been in contact, shoot, acknowledge that. Own your crappy relationship maintenance.

Authenticity will often earn you a bit of grace.

Think about the last person you helped. You felt an investment in this person. Now flip your focus.

Why would someone want to invest in you?

I'll give you three solid actions you can take to add value to anyone in your professional network.

Action 1:

Share an article or news related to THEIR interests.

Some of the coolest discoveries for me have come from other people sharing stuff with me. It’s an easy way to add richness to your interactions.

Action 2:

Share a suggestion or solution for a problem or challenge they are having that saves them time.

Who doesn’t like good ideas?! Sometimes, the solution is right there in front of someone else. Sharing is caring.

Action 3:

Share something that they will get a good laugh out of.

If you don’t like to laugh, you should probably unsubscribe. Good vibes multiply, and sharing something, shoot, even a puppy pic beats the same old routine of “what do you want, what do you need”.

What do these actions all have in common? It's about them, not about you.

A big part of quality relationship building is demonstrating genuine interest.

And remember: if it was easy, everyone would do it.