7 Counterintuitive Networking Hacks You Probably Aren't Using

Building a strong network is one thing, and keeping it strong is another.

But it’s not that difficult to maintain your relationships:  sending a few email updates per year that include major achievements about your professional and personal life to the people that are closest to you can be a game changer.

Share updates pretty regularly in order to tell connections what’s on your mind, whether it’s your point of view on some industry news story, or just congratulating a colleague on a business win.

And by putting yourself out there, you’re taking regular small steps that could someday turn into an opportunity to take a bigger one.

It allows individuals to get straight to the point, and since many people use texting as a daily form of communication, you’re more likely to get a response.

The trick is to make sure you apply standard business etiquette, such as respecting business hours.

Relationships take time, and by the time you do need something and could use their help, they’re more likely to respond if they know who you are.

It means being attentive to their career moves and views on certain issues (if they’ve made them public), asking specific questions and finding a way to provide value to them.

Catching up with someone I know over lunch can actually be much more appealing than making small talk with strangers over finger food. But often, we undervalue (and underprioritize) these appointments, even though meeting with people in our current professional circle is networking.