My client, a former senior level manager, is getting back in the job market and has identified about 250 persons he wants to contact for referrals. He wants me to recommend and execute an organized email plan. The emails will go to persons with whom he has had business contact over a 20-25 year corporate professional career.

He also wants to utilize LinkedIn.

I would appreciate your suggestions. Thanks.

Eleanor

Eleanor,

Will you be using an email responder program such as Constant Contact (there are others) or will you send these out from your client's email client such as Outlook?

In my opinion, if someone wants referrals, the emails should be more personalized instead of 'stock' letters. People will recognize if a letter is 'canned' and may dismiss it.

You or your client can create a LinkedIn account and set up the profile. I suppose you could go right down the list of names the client is asking you to contact and see if you can ask to connect with them. But LinkedIn is not about just making connections. It is about participating in discussions, posting discussions, asking for recommendations, creating recommendations for others, updating the status with valuable information and so on. I'm not sure if your client will be doing this but you can set him up with an account.

What kind of suggestions are you looking for?

Janine

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I appreciate your reply; that's what I needed to hear. This is new for me and I want to be able to give him some informed options. My factfinding session is scheduled for tomorrow and I think I'll suggest the personal outreach using his Outlook client. He definitely wants email - not snailmail.

I've never used merge with email/Outlook might be the best option for personalizing the email address and salutation but not having to idividually type and edit 250 seperate emails. The other option, of course, is to do the 250 seperate emails; time consuming but also more billable hours.

Thanks.

Eleanor

Hi Eleanor,

When you have more information, please post back should you find that you have additional questions.

Janine

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