The festive season is upon us and that means parties (subject to restrictions), presents (subject to supply) and networking opportunities! (subject to willpower). 

You might not have considered the holiday season as the time to reach out to your network but it is an incredibly valuable time to reconnect with and grow your network. 

Why network now?

It’s been a very very long year and while not everyone has their metaphorical feet up on the desk, you can rest assured that managers and bosses realise that staff need time to decompress. 

Take advantage of this more relaxed time to reach out to your network. Not only will inbox traffic be down right now, your overtures are less likely to be seen as a “sell”. Try sending a non-committal email to restart a line of communication. 

Don’t ask for anything or try to offer up any of your own product messaging. Be open, share an anecdote from the last time you met, an achievement from your last year and something you hope 2022 will bring you both. Think about including a link to an article or video they would find interesting or attach a photo 

How can I grow my network during the holidays?

The end of the calendar year is a natural moment to draw breath and take stock of your last 12 months. 

Think about the connections you’ve made and the ones you haven’t followed up with from events. Check the comments on your social media posts, the email lists in your CRM system, what groups can you identify within these lists and what could re-engaging these users bring you now and into the new year?

Make sure your outreach contains your most up to date information. Have you been promoted since you last spoke to this person? Has your office address changed? A great way to ensure your contacts have your most up to date contact information available to them is to add your digital business card to your correspondence. We recommend our users add their Blinq digital business card to their emails, either as a link or dynamic email signature. 

You can also choose to send your card as a text message or even download and add your card’s QR code to your message for your recipient to scan. 

When a recipient saves your card, they’ll automatically be offered the chance to share their details back with you. You’ll be amazed how many new contacts begin appearing in your Blinq app and in your Blinq Business dashboard. 

Adding a digital business card to your message helps you stand out from the crowd. When everyone else is sending festive greetings cards, you’ll be giving your contacts something tangible and useful. 

How to share your Blinq digital business card using the app

‍

Other networking moments to tap into

Parties: I know, nothing says fun like networking at a party but you’ll be surprised how naturally moments to share who you are come up in conversation. It doesn’t have to be an awkward handover of a paper card (we’ve moved past that) simply ask your recipient to scan your Blinq QR code business card. 

Job seeking: it’s a myth that December is a no hire month. In fact, if you’re looking for a new role this is the time you might stand out the most from other candidates who are laying low. Make sure your resume is up to date and add your Blinq QR code for extra memorability. 

Join a professional association: if your industry values links with professional bodies, there is no better time to join up. You’ll not only gain valuable exposure to a wide network of professionals, you might also get a holiday discount on your membership.  Professional associations are full of people who also want to connect with others so they’re a great place to network with potential mentors.

Conclusion

Holidays are a great reason to reach out and connect with your network. Don’t be afraid to contact people you haven’t spoken to in a long time. It is always a welcome surprise to hear from a friend or colleague after a long time apart, especially after our universal experience of the past 12 months. 

If you don’t have a digital business card yet, it’s not too late to create and begin sharing. Making a card takes under 2 minutes and if you’re looking to create cards for your team, you can get started with Blinq Business free for 30 days.