STEP 6

TURN EVERY CONTACT INTO A MULTIPLE CONTACT

One of the most difficult things about reaching out to a new person and trying to form a relationship is getting on that person’s radar screen—getting noticed. It takes three to five contacts to get the average person to remember your name. If you are dealing with an extremely busy person, it takes five to seven contacts. How do you achieve multiple contacts without calling over and over and over again and seeming like a pest? Simple—turn every new contact into a multiple contact.

   Never just call and leave voice-mail at work.

   Never just leave a message on the answering machine at home.

   Never just overnight-mail a package to the office.

   Never just send a personal letter to the home address.

   Never just fax a note.

   Never just send an e-mail.

If you really want to make an impression, use all six methods of contact simultaneously. It takes more time and effort, but that’s one reason to do it—you can be sure it’s not what everyone else is doing. I promise, you will get on the radar screen (like an incoming missile attack!). As long as you do all the contacts at once, you will not seem like a pest. But you will seem very thorough.

A Word of Caution: Imagine going to all that trouble, getting on the radar screen, and then having nothing to say other than “No big deal, I just wanted to ‘network’ with you.” If you go to all that trouble to get noticed by someone new, don’t waste it.