What do you do if you want to build connections with senior professionals in financial services?

1 Identify your goals

Before you start reaching out to senior professionals, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve from the connection. Do you want to learn more about their role, their company, or their industry? Do you want to seek their advice, feedback, or mentorship? Do you want to explore potential collaborations, referrals, or job openings? Having a specific and realistic goal will help you tailor your message, avoid being vague or generic, and show that you respect their time and expertise.

2 Research your targets

Once you have your goal in mind, you need to identify the senior professionals who can help you achieve it. You can use various sources to find them, such as LinkedIn, industry publications, events, podcasts, or referrals from your existing network. When you find someone who interests you, do some research on their background, achievements, interests, and challenges. This will help you craft a personalized and relevant introduction, demonstrate your genuine interest and curiosity, and find common ground or points of connection.

3 Reach out with value

When you are ready to contact a senior professional, you need to make a good first impression and stand out from the crowd. You can use different channels to reach out, such as email, social media, or phone, depending on your preference and theirs. However, regardless of the medium, you need to follow some basic principles: be polite and respectful, introduce yourself briefly and clearly, explain why you are contacting them and what you hope to gain from the connection, and offer some value in return. For example, you can compliment their work, share some useful information or insight, or offer to help them with something.

4 Follow up and build rapport

After you have initiated contact with a senior professional, you need to follow up and build rapport with them. You can do this by thanking them for their response, asking relevant and thoughtful questions, providing feedback or updates, and expressing your appreciation and enthusiasm. You can also suggest a meeting or a call, if appropriate, to deepen the conversation and the relationship. However, be careful not to be too pushy or needy, and respect their boundaries and availability. Remember that building connections takes time and effort, and you need to nurture them with patience and sincerity.

5 Maintain and leverage your connections

Finally, once you have established a connection with a senior professional, you need to maintain and leverage it for your mutual benefit. You can do this by staying in touch regularly, providing value and support, celebrating their successes, and asking for their help or guidance when needed. You can also introduce them to other relevant people in your network, invite them to events or opportunities, and endorse or recommend them. By doing this, you will show that you are not only interested in what they can do for you, but also in what you can do for them, and that you value the connection as a long-term and meaningful one.