It happens to all of us: someone in your network who you hardly know asks you for something that’s a bit involved. It’s one thing to retweet someone’s blog post, it’s quite another to pass on a business referral or make a recommendation for someone you don’t really know. Most people are very happy to help people out when asked, but they’ll be more comfortable if you’ve built a relationship with them before you ask for help. Tapping into your network to ask for help is fine, but make sure you pay it forward before you need to ask.
Get to Know People
When you connect with people online, especially people who you think you might be able to help you out sometime in the future, spend some time getting to know them better. Find out what they do, and how you might be able to help them. Start conversations and reach out to people before you ask them for anything.
Give & Share
If you’re already sharing and are generous with helping others out in your network, people will be more likely to want to help you out too. No one likes someone who only takes and takes or is always asking for help without providing any. Build up goodwill before you need to ask for help.
Personalize Requests
When you do need to ask people for help, ask personally. Don’t send out mass emails or messages. Ask people specifically for what you’d like help with and ask the right people. People who you’ve spent time building relationships with will be more likely and more effective in helping.
What do you think?
(photo by stevendepolo, on Flickr)