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Mike/Mark - After listening to your most recent podcast and once again listening to the podcast titled, 'Building a Network', I am looking for feedback on how I could create relationships working in a remote office of the corporate offices. While I have somewhat regular contact with people outside of my remote office, those contacts are normally conducted via phone or e-mail. My travel to the corporate office is not as often as I would like.

What feedback would you give me to increase my relationship activity to build my network with those at work and elsewhere, given my distant location?

Thanks.

Jim C

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Jim,

A couple of thoughts ...

1. Send less email, and have more phone conversations. Even if you [i]can [/i]communicate by email, make the phone call. And [i]especially [/i]if the subject matter is at all sensitive.

2. Focus on their needs ... Find out what matters to them and figure out how to give it to them. For example, Mark is excellent at this ... he's always sending me copies of articles that he knows I'll find interesting. And although I always find the material interesting, I'm even more impressed that he's taking time (of which he has little to spare) and spending it on ME.

3. [b]Schedule [/b] follow-ups with those most important to you ... use the "Ctrl-Shift-K" rule we discussed on the networking cast and make sure you actually execute. With remote relationships, this is even more important, but easier to blow off, than usual.

4. Keep good notes ... the more infrequent the communications, the harder it is to reestablish the connection. Find out, and write down, everything you can about them. Find out their spouse's name, their kids' name, etc. When you speak, ask about them!

5. When you DO travel to remote locations, make meeting with those key people part of your itinerary ... don't leave the person-to-person meetings to chance; plan for it!

I'm sure others have more to add.

Mike