Your network = Your net worth.
That quote is often shared.
Yet so many people don’t nurture and protect this important asset.
Our first connections are easy; we see them often and communicate regularly.
Beyond that inner circle, things get murky. We meet people at conferences and networking events.
Connect on LinkedIn and follow each other there.
We spend a year working with a co-worker or client, but then they fade from our life.
We may or may not have their contact information.
We think that being connected with others on social media or at work is good.
However, the loss of a job or an issue with social media and we risk losing them.
No more contacts.
Network Backup
The end of the year is a great time to refresh your contact list on your personal computer…with a backup! Below are the details on how to export your contact list from Outlook, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. A simple online search can help you find the process on other sites you want to pull your contact information from.
Outlook: Go to File > Open & Export (on the far left) > Import/Export, choose Export to a file, then Comma Separated Values (CSV), select your Contacts folder, choose a save location, and finish the wizard to create a .csv file backup.
LinkedIn: Click the “Me” icon, go to “Settings & Privacy,” navigate to “Data privacy,” and then select “Get a copy of your data”. You can request a “larger data archive” which includes your connections, and LinkedIn will email you a link to download the .CSV file when it’s ready.
Facebook: Request your data through Facebook’s “Download Your Information” feature in Settings & Privacy, choosing your profile, friends list, and date range, then wait for a notification to download the file, often as an HTML or JSON file containing your friends’ names and profiles.
Instagram (followers/following lists): Use the “Download your information” tool in Account Center via the app or desktop, selecting just the “Followers and following” data type for a specific export; you’ll get an email with a file link once processed, allowing you to view your list.
Your Turn
Do you regularly audit and update your contact list?
Is there a backup where you always have access to your information?
As you look at your list, can you reach out to 5 people you haven’t connected with in a while?