Keeping in Touch.

With social media networking taking off as it has done, new smartphone techology, worldwide internet access and much more- it's never been a better time to keep in touch. But we're not talking about Facebook, or Twitter, we're talking about corporate contacts.

Services like LinkedIn make it easy to keep all of your corporate information and contacts under one neatly packaged roof. You can access a wealth of information just by logging in, not to mention find others who share similar interests/industry experience to work with.
But, at the same time, there's the looming issue of privacy.
One thing that seems to put a lot of people off and something that we have actually spoken about before. Privacy is, and will always be, a big issue amongst organisations but as we've discovered recently while looking at cloud computing there is a lot of focus on it. This is important with any information but perhaps moreso with corporate information- you wouldn't want your competitors knowing sensitive information, would you?

But we're not really looking at privacy today. Nor, are we keeping a list of sites/services to keep in touch with- we're talking about why.

Most of time people give you heaps of what and where, but never why.
And that's a good question. Why should I keep in touch? Why would someone who I worked with ten years ago care what I'm doing now? And so on.

Well, have some easy to digest bullet points that explain why:

1. Friends in high places has never been so true when it comes to organisations and job opportunities. Many of you reading this will be (hopefully happily) employed and won't worry about job opportunities- but what about tomorrow? In this economy, for nothing else besides financial security, it's good to have people in the know you can contact and who can personally recommend you.
   
2. Ever had one of those moments where you know someone who would absolutely love something but...you don't know how to contact them? Well, this is no different in business. Having contacts can be mutually beneficial if you have a product that they can use as they get something useful and you get revenue. Win/win.
   
3. The best business is a strong business. Working together, in any capacity, is the underlying focus of many organisations- so why not use your contacts to strengthen alliances with other organisations? This way, you can approach new opportunities with more funding, support and backing. Success in the making!
   
4. And when you're not using your friends (I jest) you can actually just send them a message asking them how things are, what they're up to and you may just meet up with them somewhere down the line.

I know some of the reasons above may seem, well, one sided to a degree- but everyone can benefit from them.
And that is one of the stronger reasons why it's good to keep in touch. Organisations sometimes would prefer to employ someone they know will get the job done, or that has experience, even if you don't advocate that experience at every given opportunity. Equally, partnerships in large corporations add a lot of combined power and bring heavier bartering rights.
Not to mention, sometimes, it's just good to know someone you can rely on to get things done and who will deliver time after time.

I think if you look at the largest organisations and the most profitable, they are such because they have contacts. Clients, fellow businessmen, customers, stakeholders or whatever else. Point is- they have them. You should too!

Never pass up the opportunity to make a new friendship- who knows where it may lead?

And that's all for today.
I hope this has been interesting and more of a consideration, than an information, post. Thank you (as always) for reading!

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation