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You know what is the biggest networking mistake that we all make?
It's not continuing the story.
It's just crazy to me how often this happens and maybe you don't even know what I'm talking
about.
But often, let's use the example of students that reach out to me from my college-university.
All the time I get emails, "oh tell me about working for Disney.
Tell me about this or that.
Can I have 30 minutes of your time?"
And sometimes I do make time for that, it is tough to take that away, but you know,
I want to help students going forward.
And I'll talk to them for 30 minutes or an hour and tell them my story, tell them how
to engage with me, give them resources, that kind of thing and help them along the way
and I often never hear from them again.
And this is such a huge, huge missed opportunity.
You know, I think that the nature of going through that, having done it myself, remembering
what it was like to be in college, "Oh well I really don't want to bother this person
again.
I already took 30 minutes or an hour of this person's time and that was great.
I'm sure she knows I appreciate it, because I met with her."
Well you know the key is you thank somebody and then you stay in the story.
You know, the worst thing that I can't ever get over is that all these kids that I've
helped, I don't really ever hear from them again.
I don't know if the advice that I gave them really made a difference to them.
And I think the reason why we give our time to help others, is because we want it to have
an impact.
So the best compliment you can pay to somebody who has done that is to check in with them,
3 months, 6 months, maybe a year later.
Set a calendar reminder if it's tough for you to keep up with that.
But especially for people who you really admire their career or really get a lot out of, you
can build the relationship with them by doing this very simple thing of a couple of lines
in an email, "Hey, thanks so much for your time 6 months ago.
It was really great to connect with you.
I really want to let you know I implemented this piece of advice and it's really changing
my career or got me this job."
And I'll tell you why, in a really practical way, I have a student who did exactly this
and every 6 months he reaches out to me and he not only lets me know how he's doing, he
asks me how I'm doing.
And I'll tell you, there are very few students that I would go out of my way to help, to
help get them the right person to talk to at one of the places I used to work or to
give them a big opportunity.
And this student in particular, I would do a lot for.
Because it's probably 3 or 4 times now that he's come to an event that I've hosted, he
checks in with me, he makes sure to say thank you again for your support and help and asks
me questions.
But he's always really careful to care about the story and to stay a part of mine as much
as he wants me to be a part of his.
And that, whether you take it as a college student to an alum, or a collaborator to a
collaborator, or a business owner to a client, that is how you build strong relationships.
So, don't overlook this, it's something that is so rare especially in the world of networking
that we don't stay in people's stories.
Let people know they made a difference to you and they may become your greatest advocate.
They may hire you someday.
I might hire this kid who is so persistent.
He even sent me a Christmas present.
I mean, what more could you ask for than somebody caring and pulling that story forward?
Keep that in mind next time you ask somebody for a favor, for their time.
You're not bothering them by letting them know that you care and letting them know that
they made a difference in your life.