Secrets of High Volume Networking

If you meet enough people and go to enough events and conventions, youll start running into the problem of having too many connections. Is there such a thing as too much?

If you meet enough people and go to enough events and conventions, youll start running into the problem of having too many connections. Is there such a thing as too much? Yes, because youll find that youre simply unable to sustain both quantity and quality. That said, here are some ideas about how to deal with the fortunate problem of knowing too many people:

Networking doesnt have to be 24/7

If youre not in the mood, its better not to network than to do a terrible job of it and make bad first impressions.

Cultivate the best contacts

Decide which connections are most important to you, professionally and personally, and cultivate them. Again, its not a baseball card collectionyou dont have to keep each and every lead that youve made in life. Ten strong connections are better than twenty weak ones.

Take notes

When you get home from an event, jot down notes on the back of the new contacts business card, anything that will help jog your memory in the future about the person. Things like what you talked about, areas of interest, notable physical features, people you know in common, how to pronounce his or her name, or interesting background factoids. Feel free to be frank for the sake of recall. If the person is memorably rude, ugly or unmannerly, you can jot that note down for yourself, since theyre your own personal notes--just dont let anyone else see them! With this system, youll have a stack of remembered connections instead of a stack of mystery business cards.

Use a PIM (personal information manager)

Most handheld PDA (personal digital assistants) like Palm, Handspring and Pocket PC devices already come with an Address Book program, and all good e-mail programs have an address book feature. People used to use Rolodexes and Daytimers for keeping track of their contacts, but in the information age, you really need to put them on your computer. In electronic format, you can do nifty tricks like name searches and mailing labels. And the ability to maintain backups is critical. I remember how lost colleagues used to be whenever they misplaced their Daytimers.

Start a newsletter

If you have a lot of contacts online, consider starting a semimonthly or monthly mass e-mail or newsletter. Yes, its not as personal as individual notes, but some contact is better than none. Remember that your most important colleagues still deserve individual attention.

Interconnecting the network

If you have a large network, use it to your advantage. Play rainmaker by putting people with common personal or business interests together. Make the introduction in person, by phone or by e-mail, and step back and let the two new acquaintances talk with one another. Its a benefit you can offer that doesnt cost you anything and requires relatively little time. Even if the connection goes nowhere, theyll appreciate your effort. One caveat is to put at least some thought into the connection. Your friends will think you clueless or careless if you introduce them to colleagues that they have little or nothing in common with.

Hopefully the tips above will help you keep up with your expanding network. Otherwise, youll end up saying, Im sorry, but I dont remember who you are a lot (which is a column for another time).

Next Time: Networking, Asian American Style

AsianConnections Team columnist Dr. Jhemon Lee is a past Chairman of the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP), and remains an active officer. Dr. Lee is actively involved in many community organizations and is a practising radiologist in Southern California. He received his undergraduate degree at Harvard and his medical degree from the University of Maryland. To contact Jhemon, please send email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..