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“Thank you” isn’t enough anymore. It’s become an expected part of human etiquette. There’s not much thought behind it and it doesn’t have any real acknowledgement of the impact the interaction has had on you.

On the other hand, saying “thank you for” is intentional and impactful. By taking the extra time, you can show appreciation for the information and time the other person gave you. It can be hard to know where to start which is why I created a framework to walk people through the process.

Step 1 (T) Thank You For: Whenever you make a new connection, take a moment to reflect on how that person impacted you. It could be their work, their presence, or something they said – the important thing is that it’s genuine.

Step 2 (A) Ask: The next step is to extend an offer to help or provide further assistance, which will deepen the connection. Many people push back here and say they have nothing to share, but I promise you that is not true. I’ve never known anyone without anything to offer, nor have I ever been asked for something I couldn’t provide.

Step 3 (D) Do Something: Finally, you need to be proactive in continuing your connection. This could be scheduling a follow-up meeting to update them on your progress, or to discuss collaborating, it could be providing them with information they asked for, or even just a commitment to reconnect at a later point. The first steps are about intentionally connecting and this final step is about turning that intention into action.

I hope this episode will inspire you to give the TAD framework a try. Not only does intentional gratitude build networking success, but it also makes the world a little brighter every time you do it. So add these three extra steps and watch your connections (and opportunities) flourish.

Until next time, keep shining bright!