YIKES!  

Did you create a list of things you vowed to do differently this year- and yet, you still haven’t made a dent in the list months later? You are not alone. It happens to all of us!

Maybe you decided to:

• Find a new position (a job to which you actually want to jump out of bed in the morning and run towards)
• Look for more collaboration partners (who do you really enjoy working with?)
• Build more clients in a particular market (could ask for referrals from existing clients)
• Carve out more personal time for friends (you cannot believe you did not speak to her at all last year-so embarrassed to get her holiday card!)
• Identify volunteer opportunities to share your passion (there are people who need your help, but I have not contacted them)
• Call your cousins more often (didn’t you have a great time at Christmas!)

Now let’s get you started in a manageable way….

Here is an exercise you that will get you started- quickly and simply!

Pick three names. Seriously, no more than three names of people who you want to reconnect with, want to get to know better, want to approach for referrals, owe a return call from six months ago, etc. You get the picture. You know who they are! In fact, you probably think about them often and have let so much time go by that now you are afraid to call or write.

Write the three names on a piece of paper.  Next to each name write everything you know about them. We will call these Connection Points.

Connection Point Examples– likes wine, has three daughters who take ballet, vacations in Michigan, is a copywriter, is a morning person, used to watch a lot of television years ago, loves fast food, has lived in that house for 30 years, youngest child left for college last year, is related to you and therefore you have all kinds of information about them but nothing very recent, used to work at IBM with Sally, just expanded their business, recently updated their website, works in an industry that is struggling, etc.

Now decide on ONE Connection Method for each of these three people. Telephone call, stop by their house, invite for coffee, Skype conversation, handwritten note, email, invite to a yoga class, note through social/professional networking site, etc.

For each of your three people, circle a few of the Connection Points (what you know about them) and commit to including these with your Connection Method.  It serves like an icebreaker and adds some intimacy to the connection.  You are reminding them how you are connected or what old stories you have shared, while at the same time not giving the appearance in any way that you want something and are reaching out after all this time to ask for help. It aids in making the conversation/email/note less awkward and more personalized. For some of the people on your list, the connection is just long-overdue but not awkward. For others, you will rely on these connection points.

Consider for each person what you have that might be able to help THEM- a further connection, a resource, a conversation with an adult every once in a while for that stay-at-home mom friend, a monthly breakfast collaboration meeting, book suggestion, etc. Write some of those ideas next to the person’s name as well.

The Ultimate Goal- Make a face–to-face meeting with each one of them as a follow up to your initial connection! Even if you start with an email or a phone call, your ultimate goal is to be sitting in front of each of the three in an engaging conversation.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

• Now what you have is a list of three names that are part of your Connection Strategy.
• Beside each name you have some reminders of what you know about them and some talking/writing Connection Points to use.
• You have committed to HOW you will reach out to them, what Connection Method you will use.
• You have a good starting point for how you can help them-what you can offer them.
• And…. A plan to meet up with each of them over the next few weeks.

Not so overwhelming now, is it?

I included my list here as well so you can take a sneak peek.

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