Business Monday: Your Hidden Network – Bob Salvas

by Bob Salvas, contributing writer on business matters

As business people we have already learned:

1. The necessity of following up with those who express an interest in our products or services (prospects).
2. The importance of keeping our strong relationships going (existing customers/good friends and allies).
3. The need for us to get out there and meet additional new people (often via open networking events).

But there is a fourth thing that we rarely think about. There is a group of people you may have met before (either online or offline) or they might even be former customers or know you through others. You might even have a pile of random business cards somewhere that represent people in this definition. These are the people that you are not currently in touch with and in many cases, you do not really ‘know’ all that well.  Some might consider these folks to be your ‘cool market’ or as author and professor David Burkus (Friend of a Friend . . .: Understanding the Hidden Networks That Can Transform Your Life and Your Career) refers to them, they are your “hidden network”.

According to the author, this ‘hidden network’ is an untapped market that is often very well suited to help us but the one we tend to ignore the most. As you might imagine, reaching out directly to this network and asking for business (selling) is NOT a good idea. But getting in touch and keeping in touch with them is.

In a recent article by author Karen Wickre (An Introvert’s Advice for Networking), Karen recommends the ‘loose-touch’ method as a way to connect with your ‘hidden network’:

“The effect of loose touch is to put you into someone’s consciousness for a few minutes, and vice versa. These moments serve as connective tissue (“we have this in common”) and a marker of your ongoing relationship. In cultivating loose-touch connections, know that your network won’t appear all at once; it takes steady, continuous work. It’s how I stay in touch with dozens of people. I’ll share tidbits seen on Twitter or other news of mutual interest. By “share,” I send a brief greeting and a link to something to read or watch. If you’re a regular on LinkedIn, you can keep in loose touch with contacts via private messages on that platform. Or you can use Facebook direct messages or private messaging on Instagram — it just depends on which services you use and which ones your contacts use.”

While I agree with Karen’s ideas, I think there are also other things that can also add value to your ‘loose-touch’ efforts beyond social media:

• Hard copy mail is a great way to communicate with this group. Sending someone a holiday greeting or birthday or congratulations card will certainly get you noticed, especially in this world of ‘digital clutter’.

• Email communication is another way to keep in touch- though if you are sending a newsletter to a mass audience, it may be less personal. The important thing to remember is to keep your email messages interesting and as relevant to the receiver as possible. Don’t stray too far into the arena of self-promotion, especially with this group of people. The idea here is to build a better relationship by providing value.
• Regardless of which communication method you choose, make sure you are always LISTENING. As you reach out to people, they may start a conversation with you. Nothing is worse than continuing to communicate without pausing to listen and respond to what they are saying. There are many automated communications systems out there which can be helpful, but they can also be harmful if by using them, you are not paying attention to what the other person is actually saying.“Many relationship problems are rooted in a communication breakdown. These can be as simple as not really hearing what the other person is saying, because we get caught up in our own fixed perspectives.”– Sumesh Nair

As we enter the spring, there will be many more networking events happening which will help strengthen your existing relationships as well as help to create new ones.  But don’t use that as an excuse to avoid your ‘hidden network’.  You never know where that next great referral will come from.  NOW is a great time to dig deeper into your HIDDEN NETWORK and see if you can build some of those relationships into prospective partners, customers or referral sources.

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Bob Salvas is a business advisor, a professional development manager at RI BUILDERS ASSN, and the organizer of Momentum/4^th Monday Networking.

To contact Bob, call 401-359-1602 or send an email to:  [email protected]