WhatsTheBuzzAbout.com

Do You Have Zealous Contacts?

 When you have contact with any individual, you will find that no matter how low key and quiet that individual appears to be, underneath there is something about which that person is passionate. You may or may not be the catalyst who helps to unleash that passion.

Sometimes you may find that zealous contacts will take more of your time. They might ask you to connect on many platforms and groups or participate in surveys, causes, etc. You may find requests to facilitate introductions or stretch your knowledge base by asking your opinion about something you have little experience with and may have to research first.

These individuals who are zealous can be your best asset. If they are repeatedly contacting you, you can be certain that you are not the sole target of their efforts. It is worth your time to think about how best you can help them and how they may be able to help you now or in the future. Keep in mind that it only takes a few key contacts to reach most people and their contact base might surprise you.  After all, they know you!

Perhaps you have taken the time to respond to their requests, perhaps not. However, many individuals keep records of responses and, in fact, when they have specific needs research those records to find others who might be of help in meeting those needs. Courtesy replies are not a waste of time. Additional contacts, references, recommendations, and business sometimes flow from a simple recognition through a response.

Do not look at your zealous contacts as wasting your time. Think about them as passionate individuals who, in fact, are devoting a significant effort to keep you in mind and promote whatever is important to them. If the contact is important to you, then you must recognize that their actions are important to them and give due respect.

Ask your contacts for help.  Most people want to help and if someone does not know what you need, he or she cannot help you. Help them in return to the extent that you can. You will find the rewards are great in many ways. You reap what you sow.

What is your buzz about?

Quid Pro Quo

You can expect that most of your connections will at some point reach out to you and request something of you. Some requests will be overt, such as a request for an endorsement. Others come through established social networks processes, such as a request to pass along a message or a request to join a group. You may be asked to recommend a vendor, a person, a product, a group, etc. You may be asked to complete a poll, read a blog, look at a video, read a news article about him or her, or comment on something he or she has written. 

Sometimes, connections appear to not trust you and impose even further on your time because they may ask you to confirm receipt even for inconsequential email.  Connections will ask you to join a fan club (even a club in his or own “non-celebrity” name) or humanitarian cause, sign a petition, attend an event, take a leadership role in a forum, group, or discussion, or contribute financially to support a cause, initiative, or charity. The types of requests you can expect are varied and seem endless when you begin to enumerate them.

Connections will assume that you are interested in anything they send you. They often assume that you will respond positively to requests. However, sometimes connections will step over the boundaries of common sense, if not good sense. They may ask you to endorse a product or them, even if you have not had a significant amount of experience with them or with the product.  

Then there is the quid pro quo individual. The requests again may be overt or veiled. Have you ever been asked to recommend someone and, if so, did that request state that the person would be happy to recommend you as well? Did that push you to recommend them, or did that cause you not to recommend them? How did you react? Do you know that some people fairly or unfairly discount recommendations when individuals recommend each other. Perhaps you have approved someone to join a group, and immediately you get requests to join his or her groups. Do you have a sense of required reciprocity?  Perhaps you have been asked by someone in a position of authority to do something and you know that he or she is in a position or might be in a position in the future to be of assistance to you, and that he or she fully knows that is the case. Is that “quid pro quo” action with a future expectation?

Quid pro quo is not an effective way to leverage your contacts. Being authentic is. Quid pro quo actions do not leave a positive impression and are not respectful. Requesting is fine—demanding something in return is not professional.  Think about your actions before you do a “quid pro quo” and how you would react. You may change your methods.

What is your buzz about?