The Compounding Effect of Staying in Touch
Small touchpoints. Big returns over time.
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I was catching up with a fellow entrepreneur this week.
She has a great referral network, a similar business to mine, different niche. She’s been showing up more lately … events, posting regularly on LinkedIn, and sharing a weekly newsletter with her audience.
Doing a fab job, honestly.
But something was holding her back on outreach.
“It feels different to reach out when there’s a business purpose to it,” she said.
I get that.
But also, it doesn’t have to feel that different from a typical professional catch-up.
So I shared a few things that have worked for me.
Let’s do some business math.
You connect with one person per week. That’s 52 new contacts in a year.
Each person in your network has about 200 connections of their own.
So one coffee chat today could lead to collaboration six months from now. Or a referral you didn’t see coming. Or just the positive feeling of reaching out.
Most people know they should stay in touch. They just freeze when it comes to actually doing it.
The guilt. The “it’s been too long.” The fear of being pushy.
Or gasp! Salesy.
Here’s what I’ve found after years of building relationships across the globe. You don’t need grand gestures. Just small, consistent touchpoints.
Here’s how to make staying in touch work without feeling annoying or overwhelming.
Start with a focused list
I’m one of those “the world is my oyster” kind of people.
In the past, I’d meet someone amazing and add them to this large list of people I “should” reach out to.
That list grew. My follow-through didn’t.
Now I keep a focused list. 10-20 people I genuinely want to stay connected with over the next few months.
This makes it manageable. And you’ll actually do it.
The “I was thinking about you” check-in
This is my favourite. Just a genuine check-in.
“Hey, I saw your post about [topic] and it made me think of you. Hope things are going well.”
Or even simpler: “Hope your Q1 is going well!”
And mean it.
These messages take 30 seconds to send. They’re low-friction for both of you. And they keep the connection warm.
Comment on their LinkedIn post
You see someone’s post. You read it and you think, “Good point.”
Take one extra step and leave a comment.
And not a generic “Great post!”
Something thoughtful like a question or a quick story of your own.
This keeps you visible and shows you’re paying attention. Helpful, not pushy.
Forward a relevant article
You read something and immediately think, “This would be perfect for [name].”
Send it. Right then.
“Saw this and thought of you. Hope it’s useful.”
These small gestures matter. They show you’re thinking about them even when you’re not asking for anything.
The no-agenda coffee
Book a call or grab coffee with no agenda. Especially if you have met before and there were good vibes, but you haven’t officially collaborated yet.
I did this a few months ago with a friend.
Logistically, it was a challenge. But we finally made it happen.
What started as a casual chat turned into a new business opportunity and a deeper connection.
You can’t predict what will come from these conversations. But they do compound over time.
Send a quick voice memo or text
Email feels formal sometimes. A voice memo or text can feel more personal.
“Hey, just wanted to check in. How’s [project/trip/event] going?”
Quick and easy to respond to.
I’ve been playing with Loom since I started my business, and it’s been a fun way to connect. Worth experimenting with!
Stay visible with strategic updates
You don’t have to reach out to everyone individually all the time. That’s not realistic.
My updates look like this: a weekly newsletter, regular LinkedIn posts, Substack notes.
Your own version of this will keep you top of mind without requiring anything from the other person.
They can engage when they’re ready. Or they can just follow along.
Either way, you’re staying visible and helpful.
The magic is in the consistency, not the size of the gesture.
You just need to show up.
Regularly. In small, helpful ways.
That’s how you grow your luck surface area.
The opportunities will compound.
✈️ Carry On
with Pamela Wilton
Stay in touch. Stay visible. Stay helpful. Have fun.
Expand your luck surface area.
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