A crucial part of building a robust board-ready network is to maintain those relationships long after the initial connection. Whether your contacts are private equity (PE) professionals, executive recruiters, or industry executives, consistent yet unobtrusive outreach keeps you top of mind when relevant opportunities arise. Below are strategies for staying in touch, suggested messaging channels, and tips for managing these interactions effectively.
1. Why Staying Top of Mind Matters
Relationship Strength and Reciprocity
- Ongoing touchpoints signal genuine interest in the other person’s success and well-being—not just an opportunistic quest for a favor.
- Maintaining rapport makes them more likely to remember and recommend you when a board seat emerges.
Visibility for Long-Term Opportunities
- Board searches, especially in the PE space, can occur unexpectedly.
- If you have not spoken to a contact in over a year, they might assume you’ve moved on—or not recall your expertise at a crucial moment.
Two-Way Exchange of Value
- Frequent but thoughtful communication allows you to share insights, resources, or introductions, demonstrating your commitment to a mutually beneficial relationship.
2. Approaches to Staying in Touch
Periodic Text or Instant Messages
- Appropriate for Close Ties: Texts are ideal for strong ties where a casual tone is acceptable (e.g., ex-colleagues turned friends, mentors who enjoy brief check-ins).
- Short and Specific: Send a quick greeting or congratulate them on a visible achievement (e.g., a LinkedIn post about their portfolio company’s success).
Email Updates
Universal and Flexible: Suitable for both strong and weak ties; you can adapt tone and length to the nature of your relationship.
Types of Emails
- Congratulatory: Recognize their promotions or recent deals.
- Resource Sharing: Forward an article or white paper aligned with their interests or industry challenges.
- Personalized News: Provide a succinct update on your career or projects that might resonate with them.
Scheduling Calls or Online Meetings
Maintain a Clear Agenda: Respect their time by specifying the purpose—“Would love 20 minutes to catch up on your PE portfolio’s new manufacturing play.”
Structured Conversations
- Ideal when there’s something substantial to discuss (e.g., a market trend, potential collaboration).
- Book 15–30 minutes on their calendar using a convenient scheduling tool.
In-Person One-on-One
Occasional vs. Frequent: Depending on geographies and schedules, aim for quarterly or semiannual meetups—too frequent might feel intrusive if you don’t have pressing updates.
High-Impact Relationship Building
- Meeting for coffee or lunch can deepen rapport more than digital channels.
- Prioritize these meetings for strong ties or high-value relationships (e.g., a major PE partner or a known influencer in your sector).
Engage in Thought Leadership Collaboration
Feedback on Research or White Papers: Send them draft surveys, frameworks, or white papers to solicit their feedback, acknowledging their input publicly if they’re comfortable.
Interviews and Panels
- Invite key contacts to co-author articles, appear on your podcast, or speak at events/webinars you host.
- This approach showcases their expertise and further cements your working relationship.
Adding Contacts to Your Newsletter
- Regular Touchpoint: A periodic newsletter—biweekly, monthly, or quarterly—can keep you on their radar without targeted asks.
- Content Relevance: Ensure you share insights or resources applicable to their interests, so it’s perceived as valuable rather than spam.
Referring Clients or Opportunities
High-Level Reciprocity
- Few gestures build goodwill faster than offering relevant business leads or introductions to prospective clients.
- If a contact has a unique service or invests in a particular sector, funneling opportunities their way strengthens mutual trust.
3. Tracking Your Activity
Why Tracking Is Essential
- Comprehensive Visibility: A scattered approach to follow-ups risks losing track of last touchpoints, conversation content, or agreed next steps.
- Accountability: Documentation reminds you which relationships need nurturing before too much time elapses.
- Data for Strategic Adjustments: Tracking acceptance rates, responsiveness, and conversation frequency reveals which contacts or methods require recalibration.
Spreadsheet vs. CRM System
Spreadsheet
- Advantages: Simple, user-friendly, and easy to set up.
- Limitations: Typically one row per person—less granularity about every interaction, minimal reminders, no automated follow-ups.
CRM System
Advantages:
- Track multiple interactions (calls, emails, meetings) over time.
- Create follow-up tasks and reminders automatically.
- Sync with your email, record attachments, and store conversation notes.
Examples: Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM.
Best For: Individuals with a significant or complex network requiring more robust relationship management.
Best Practices for Using a CRM
Consistent Data Entry
- Log every meaningful interaction (phone calls, in-person visits, relevant email exchanges).
- Summarize the main points or future action items to easily recall details next time.
Set Reminders
- Use the CRM’s task feature to prompt you to check in every few months.
- Helps ensure no key relationship goes dormant inadvertently.
Segment Contacts by Priority
- Label or tag people as “High-Priority,” “Core Network,” etc., so you can focus your time on those who are strategic to your board search.
- A CRM’s multi-dimensional tagging avoids the “one-row-per-person” limitation of spreadsheets.
Integrate with Calendar and Email
- Sync your CRM to your Google or Outlook calendar for efficient scheduling.
- Automatic email logging streamlines future follow-up references.
