My clients often ask me, “How do I stay connected to my network over time?” 

The first part of my response is always, “You’re already ahead of the game, just by asking that question.” 

Because most people take a reactive approach to networking. They wait until they need something (a new job, a reference, someone to hang out with on a Friday night). And they reach out with a message like, “Hey, I know it’s been a while, but I’m wondering if you could...”

It’s not that this approach doesn’t work; it often does, and especially when job searching, it’s infinitely better than not reaching out. 

But I applaud my clients who recognize that reactive networking isn’t the most effective or compassionate way to move through the world.

By taking a more proactive approach and staying connected to your network over time:

• You show people that you care about them, not just because of what they can do for you. You create a genuine, reciprocal relationship that’s grounded by more than transactional requests.

• You stay top of mind, so that people in your network think of you when new ideas or opportunities arise;

• You lead by example, inspiring others in your professional community to act with support, care, and connectedness.

• And yes, you increase the likelihood someone will say “yes” to helping you, too!

The great news is, it doesn’t take hours of time, a recurring calendar invite, or a 1,000-line Excel spreadsheet to make it happen. It just takes a few simple practices that you can start integrating into your work day today. 

Here are three simple, proactive, and genuine strategies you can start implementing today: 

1. Send end-of-year gratitude emails

Did you know the email subject line with the highest open rate is “Thank you”?

Most of the emails we receive feature requests for us to do more, better, faster. But a note that allows us to pause and feel genuine appreciation for the impact we’ve made is a special rarity. 

The end of the year is a perfect time to make a quick list of all of the people who made a difference in your career -- former bosses, or people who helped you get a new job, encouraged you, taught you a new skill, partnered with you on an impactful project.

Your note doesn’t have to be long, just a few sentences about how you were reflecting on your career, and wanted to thank them for the impact they’ve made on your life. You can rest assured that this person will be grateful for the note, and it will be the first thing they think of the next time you reach out. 

2. If you think it, write it

We may not recognize it, but we constantly think about members of our network.

Perhaps you’re sitting at your desk thinking about a past business trip or client interaction; you're in a team meeting recalling a former coworker who taught you how to do something, or a funny story from a past work place; you’re chatting with friends or family, telling stories about your college days, former roommates, amazing (or terrible) bosses, challenging or embarrassing moments. 

Whenever I find myself thinking or talking about a member of my network, I make a mental note to send an actual note.

Again, just a few lines is enough to make a genuine reconnection.

“Hey James. In my team meeting today, we were talking about learning experiences, and I found myself thinking about that ridiculously hard client pitch we made together in Atlanta. Just wanted to drop you a note and say I’m grateful for that experience we had together and hope you're doing well.” 

3. If you learn it, share it

The next time you finish engaging with a new piece of content -- an article you read (or authored!), a podcast you listened to (or produced!), a book, a documentary -- pause and ask yourself, “Who might appreciate learning this, too?” 

Again, a two-line email suffices: “I read this book on decision making and I know how much you love organizational dynamics nonfiction. I thought you’d appreciate it!” or even, “I wrote this article on networking today, and I never would have had the courage to publish it if you hadn't encouraged me to do so. I just wanted to share it with you and say thank you!” 

What all of these approaches have in common: 

There are a few key principles that make all of the above approaches worth prioritizing.

• First, they're efficient for you -- and your network. They don't require attending networking events, catch up coffees, or more than a few minutes of time for either person. Who doesn't love a win-win?

• Second, they're individual and personal. The last thing people want is to be bcc’d on an email that goes out to hundreds or thousands of your contacts (note: a surefire way to tune out your network). Individual personalization is the critical difference between a message that promotes a one-sided brand vs. one that deepens a two-sided relationship.

• Lastly, they create small-but-significant value for the other person. You don't have to send someone a hundred-dollar flower arrangement or invite them to an event where Richard Branson is speaking in order for them to feel valued. On the flip side, none of these strategies have you running around clogging people’s inboxes with low quality, irrelevant content. All of these approaches create what we all want more of in our lives -- a small burst of genuine appreciation, reflection, or learning.

I hope that these strategies inspire you to create your own new, micro-habit of pausing, reflecting, and sending genuine messages that your network will appreciate.

And I'm curious -- what other strategies have you tried? How do you stay connected to your network over time? Please feel free to share your thoughts or stories in the comments, I'd love to hear them.