Ronda Suder 
It's hard to keep in touch with everyone, but you can reconnect!
It happens to the best of us – from crazy schedules and family situations to relocations and career changes, many factors can lead to losing touch with professional contacts. What's more, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that a person currently 55 to 56 years old has held an average of nearly 13 jobs in their lifetime, and the United States Census Bureau reports that individuals can expect to move 11.7 times in their lifetime.
What does that mean? There is a big chance you may lose valuable connections along the way.
While it may seem like a lost cause trying to reconnect due to the amount of time that has gone by, this could not be further from the truth. In this post, we cover how to reach out to someone to network, regardless of how long ago you lost touch.
How to reach out to someone to network
Here are five tips on how to reach out to someone to network, even if it's been years since you last connected:
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Use LinkedIn
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Be honest and authentic
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Enlist the help of a mutual friend
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Acknowledge a career milestone
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Share something of value with them
Now, let's take a deeper dive into each of these tips on how to reach out to someone to network.
1. Use LinkedIn
Social media is a no-brainer for most when considering how to reach out to someone to network. Social media, in general, is an excellent way to reach back out to contacts of new and old, though LinkedIn, in particular, is built on professional connections. That means this type of communication – a reintroduction – is welcome there. It's appropriate to send a brief message outlining how you know them, what you have been up to, and a specific reason you would like to reconnect.
Related reading: LinkedIn Networking: How to Cultivate Meaningful Connections Online
2. Be honest and authentic
Starting off an email or LinkedIn message with “It's been too long” acknowledges the amount of time that has passed and embraces the awkwardness head-on. Depending on your past relationship with a particular contact, you can connect the length of time with an event that has gone on in your life (marriage, the birth of a child, relocation, a massive career change).
3. Enlist the help of a mutual friend
If you have a common connection between yourself and the person you have not spoken to in a while, it makes total sense to lean on them to be reintroduced to your connection. Tell them how you know the person and inquire about how close they are. If they feel comfortable, ask them if they could reach back out to the person on your behalf for an email or LinkedIn introduction.
4. Acknowledge a career milestone
Did the person win an award for an accomplishment? Did you receive a LinkedIn notification that they are celebrating a work anniversary? Have they recently posted about a promotion or significant career move? Use this moment to congratulate them and reconnect. This event is an excellent springboard for getting updated on their career moves and aspirations.
Even if the milestone isn't super recent, you can still acknowledge it as a way to reintroduce yourself, assuming it's a significant milestone. For example, suppose they were awarded a major milestone or recognition in their industry or by a professional organization within the last year or two (e.g., Entrepreneur of the Year, Engineer of the Year). In that case, it's likely still worth acknowledging and using as a way to reintroduce yourself.
5. Share something of value with them
Can you connect this person with a potential client? Do you know of an article or resource that would benefit them? This is another appropriate way to reconnect and show that you are genuinely thinking about them and their potential needs. Also, out of all the tips on this list of how to reach out to someone to network and reconnect, this one is an excellent option because you're attempting to add value in a tangible way.
How to reach out to someone to network: final thoughts
It is entirely reasonable to fall out of contact with co-workers, a previous boss, or another professional contact. When considering how to reach out to someone to network, the key is to approach this situation with the correct tone, an acknowledgment of the time gone by, and then a call to action – whether it be a meetup, reference, or a promise to reconnect again. You've got this.
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This article was originally written by Chanell Alexander. It has been updated by Ronda Suder.