How can you tell when to ask for help from your network?

1 Identify your needs

Before you reach out to your network, you need to have a clear idea of what kind of help you are looking for. Do you need advice, feedback, information, referrals, or support? What are your goals, challenges, and expectations? How urgent and specific is your request? By identifying your needs, you can narrow down your list of potential contacts and craft a relevant and respectful message.

2 Choose the right contacts

Once you have defined your needs, you can select the best contacts from your network to ask for help. You want to choose people who have the expertise, experience, or connections that match your needs. You also want to consider the strength and quality of your relationship with them. How well do you know them? How often do you communicate with them? How likely are they to respond and help you? You may want to prioritize contacts who you have a mutual and ongoing rapport with, or who you have helped in the past.

3 Make a clear and polite request

When you ask for help from your network, you want to be clear and polite in your communication. You want to explain why you are reaching out, what kind of help you need, and how they can assist you. You also want to respect their time and availability, and avoid making demands or assumptions. You can use a friendly and professional tone, and express your appreciation and gratitude. You can also offer to reciprocate or help them in return if possible.

5 Build and nurture your network

Finally, you want to build and nurture your network on a regular basis, not just when you need help. You want to stay in touch with your contacts, share useful information and resources, celebrate their achievements, and support their goals. You want to cultivate trust, rapport, and goodwill, and show genuine interest and care. You want to create a network that is not only helpful, but also meaningful and rewarding.