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Dear MT followers,

I listened to the "Building Your Network" podcast again this morning.  I think I now understand why the network is so important.  I have been "Ctrl-Shift-K"-ing like mad today.

I am now at the part of this process that is difficult for me.  The writing of the e-mail to former colleagues that I have not seen or communicated with in years.  What do I say?  How should I approach them? Simple, I know, but just one more thing I never learned.

Thank you in advance for your wisdom.

DR

mbaker's picture
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DR,

From the few casts I've listened to on this topic, I would say that you might be better served by picking up the phone and calling these long-lost colleagues.  Even if you end up leaving a message, hearing your voice is far more impactful than an email, especially if a long period of time has passed since your last contact.  I also think that people will be more impressed that you're willing to take the time to call them as opposed to sending a email.  This also gives you an opportunity to have a brief conversation and gather some key information about what's going on in their lives, which can provide you with useful insights for emails further down the line as you maintain the connection. 

I honestly haven't done much of this myself, but I plan to start soon.  As I make progress, I'll check back in on the forum to let you and others know how its going.  Best of luck to you. 

Mike

jhack's picture

 "Hello Fred,

I was thinking of you, and wanted to drop a note to say hello.  I'm now at [company X] and I moved to [new city] a few years ago. 

Hope you're well, 

Sincerely" 

It is that simple.  If they reply with more info and questions, great.  you can get a dialog going.  If not, another note next quarter or whenever.  

 

John Hack