It’s hard to stay connected with everyone, especially within broader professional circles. Everyone struggles with this. From family situations to crazy schedules to relocations, many factors can contribute to losing touch with people within your network. What’s more, if someone does more than one job, the chances of meeting become quite minimal.
This means you will likely lose connections that might have been helpful to you in the future. Some might think reconnecting wastes time, but this is far from the truth. You never know when you might need their help. After all, it is not what you know but who you know that often matters.
If you need to reconnect with your network, you are in the right place! Without wasting much of your time, here are five ways to reconnect to your professional contacts. After reconnecting, focus more energy on maintaining those connections in the future.
Twitter And LinkedIn
Thank goodness for social media. It is an excellent way to contact old friends and colleagues. Remember, LinkedIn is a professional network, so this communication is okay. You can send a brief message stating how you know the individual, where you have been and what you have been doing, and why you would like to reconnect with them.
If you use Twitter, follow them, retweet, or reply to any of their posts to get their attention. From there, you can choose to message them directly. However, even though you communicate through social media, remember to keep it professional.
Address The Time That Has Passed
If you are sending them a message, it is imperative to start with “It’s been a while.” Acknowledge the time that has gone by and face the awkwardness head-on. How quickly you can move on with the conversation will depend on the nature of your relationship in the past. To make it easier, you can start with an event or something that has happened in your life, like graduation, marriage, childbirth, career change, relocation, etc. Make sure you ask them questions as well to get the conversation going.
Mention A Mutual Friend
If you have a mutual friend, mentioning them in your message makes sense. Mention how you know this person and ask how close they are. You might also ask your mutual friend to contact the person on your behalf through your LinkedIn profile or an email introduction. People are more likely to be open to you when they know you have mutual contacts or things in common.
Also Read: Best Tips for Seeking New Opportunities in the Workforce
Acknowledge A Milestone
If the person you are contacting achieved any milestone, first acknowledge it as you greet them. Did they win any awards? Did they receive any LinkedIn notifications? Is it a promotion they recently received? Use this opportunity to congratulate them and reconnect. Recognizing someone's successes can go a long way in establishing a good repertoire.
Share Something Of Value
This can be by connecting them with a potential client or a deal. Alternatively, if you know of any article that would help them in their career, mention that too. This shows that you are not selfish but have always had them in mind and want them to succeed in their careers.
Bottom Line
People always fall out with colleagues and previous bosses, but what makes a difference is the tone you use to reconnect with them. First, introduce yourself, acknowledge the time that has passed, and then state what you want, which could be a reference or a meetup.
