Do you ever feel like your “reaching out” to prospects and customers (or colleagues, vendors, etc.) is getting boring? Or maybe you have a hard time figuring out when or how to touch base with people without seeming pushy or dorky? One easy way to make a “non asking” connection is to consider sending articles that you think will be of interest to individuals you are trying to cultivate.
With the advent of the internet, it has become so easy to include a link or paste a page and send along an article to someone in your contact circle. This can be a great excuse for making contact and for further developing a relationship with prospects, customers, clients, etc. I also still get clipped newspaper and magazine articles occasionally and it always feels thoughtful and interesting—usually with a brief note: “This reminded me of you and I thought you would find it interesting.” It doesn’t have to be anything in depth or invasive—just a quick note to go along with the e-mail link or the article.
It is so easy to send web articles, in fact, that many news articles, features, published papers, reports, etc. have a toggle you can click that says “email to a friend”—simply put in the e-mail address and your personal message and away the thing goes. Spending an afternoon sending articles or keeping it as part of your “contact” plan for cultivating people in your rolodex can be worthwhile marketing efforts.
Of course, this is one of those things that can be overdone. If you are ALWAYS sending articles to people on your “hit” list, they will get annoyed. I have found it is best used sparingly and mixed in with other forms of personal contact (cards, telephone calls, marketing flyers, etc.).
Also: Materials Should Be Jargon-Free
You Never Know Who You’re Talking To