How Powerful Is Your Contact List

How Powerful is Your Contact List?

Here is a test, put anything on your WhatsApp status, like advert for people to buy something or for people to help with a job or download an app or something that requires people to part with money or time, then watch the feedback you get. Then when the first one is over (24hrs) post something funny or a ridiculous story or gist and watch how many feedbacks you get.

The strength of your contact list is the feedbacks you get from both, there and the you would know if you have business minded people on your list or bunch of jokers, who really don’t care. However don’t be too disappointed when you realize no one responded to first post while the second got as many responses as possible.

What is a Contact List? Your contact list as exemplified by your WhatsApp status, refers to people who have your contact and who you also have theirs. Having someone’s contact doesn’t make them part of your contact list, unless they also have yours too. Think about it, you might have your Governor’s number but does he have yours? “The quality of your contact is not in those who you know but those who you know that also know you”.

So the strength of your contact list, is simply the number of people who know you and you know multiply by their quality (on a scale of 0 to 5, how far these people can go for you on a business level). You might have 250 Contacts and only 50 know you, and out of those 50 just one quality (a scale of above 3) contact who probably would respond to your first post. While another person has 1000 contacts, 250 know him and no quality (a scale of below 3) which means no one would probably respond to his first question.

The import of this is, you need to work on your contact list. At every opportunity, network, meet new people that can impact on your life. Don’t just take people’s number, make extra effort to ensure they save yours. Most often we cannot grow beyond our contacts. The truth is if God wants to elevate you, He uses people around you, now ask yourself “are you surrounded by quality people who can be used for you?”.

Most people in choice places, get there due to referrals, links, connections, suggestions etc, someone they knew made it happen. A colleague once said, when new people get into position of influence, it reflects on people they know. Who are those on your contact list? What efforts are you making to grow your network?

Have you ever been in a situation where you flip through your contact and you realize there is no one to call for help? My ideal contact list should have at least 20% who…

• Can help me with your Hustle
• Can recommend me for opportunities
• Can stand as referees for me
• Can rescue me when you need to be rescued
• Must be professionals who can offer their services on demand
• Can invest in you
• Can buy, download, share, like, watch, read, identify with things because you recommended it

You can’t know someone in a place of influence and say you don’t want to get close to them, my friend that is poverty disguised in arrogance talking. Remember your network would always reflect on your net-worth. In the pursuit of better living, improved earnings and dream actualization, you have to make all your resources work for you and that includes your contacts.