Getting To Know Your Contacts

Networking.  We have heard that term over and over again these past few years.  It is probably more important than ever to make contacts.  But, keeping in touch with those contacts and getting to know them personally is even more important.  Getting to know them takes time.  And it is not always done in person.  Some folks I have 'met' are on mortgage forums.  You get to know people by what they post.  And you can make a decision after reading a number of them as to whether or not they would make a good contact, whether they would make a good resource, or even if they would make a good friend.  In person, it is a little easier to make those assessments, so the time to move deeper does not take as long.

Common interests can be deciphered.  And isn't that what networking really is at the core?  Finding common interests?  I asked one such contact about the alignment of two planets in the early southern sky.  [Venus & Jupiter]  I have asked others about various aspects of a locale that will be my new home in the next few months.  The business climate.  The overall location.  And, of course, the golf courses.  In fact, I have made some plans to meet up with some of them on my next visit.  My wife has already re-located.

I probably will choose to 'meet' others such as Realtors before I actually arrive.  I will already have contacts by the time I am there physically.  It really will not be all that different from what I do here.  The Realtors here are people I have gotten to know well.  I know their interests.  I know their families.  I know their likes and dislikes.  And I can send referrals based on the personalities of my clients and who I believe will work well with them.  It is one thing to make the contacts, but quite another to get to know your contacts.