Stop Waiting for Leads: How to Activate Your Professional Network to Build a Consistent Pipeline

I used to think that the act of asking for help to activate my professional network felt awkward and pushy. It seemed like the kind of thing “salesy” people did, not consultants who built relationships based on trust and expertise.

It took me a while to get over myself. Many years later, I’ve embraced the hustle. I respect it when I see others do it so why not me too? That said, there are some ways to do it that don’t put the person you are asking for help on the defensive which is typically what makes it awkward. It helps to remember this →

most people in your network genuinely want to help you – they just don’t know how.

The Hidden Cost of Unused Potential: Why Your Professional Network Sits Idle

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most professionals sit on incredibly valuable networks they never activate. We’ve spent years building relationships, helping others, showing up at events, and staying connected. But when it comes to our own business development? Crickets.

The fear of “being salesy” keeps us from making asks. We don’t want to impose. We don’t want to seem desperate. We convince ourselves that good work speaks for itself and the right opportunities will find us. Fear of rejection adds another layer of complexity.

Meanwhile, opportunities slip away because the right people simply don’t know what we need.

Here’s what I’ve learned: This isn’t about using people. It’s about creating value exchanges and making it easy for your network to help. Most people in your network are rooting for you to succeed. They’d love to be able to say that the introduction they made led to your one of your big clients. They just need you to tell them what you need.

The Mindset Shift: From Imposing to Inviting

Before we get to tactics, let’s address the mental barrier that stops most of us from activating our networks.

People genuinely like to help. Research on reciprocity shows that humans are wired to want to be helpful, especially to people they already know and like. When you ask someone for help, you’re not imposing – you’re giving them an opportunity to be valuable, to use their knowledge and connections in a meaningful way.

Being specific in your ask is respectful of their time. Vague requests like “let me know if you hear of anything” actually make it harder for people to help you. Specific asks like “I’m looking to connect with VPs of Sales at B2B SaaS companies with 50-200 employees” give people something concrete to work with.

The worst outcome? They say no or don’t respond. And in that case, nothing changes. You’re exactly where you were before you asked. But the best outcome? An introduction that leads to your next significant opportunity.

Most people are not thinking about you and your business on a regular basis – not because they don’t care, but because they’re busy with their own lives and challenges. You have to put yourself on their radar. 

The System: How to Activate Your Network Systematically

The Foundation: Make the Big Ask

This is where most people never start, and it’s the single highest-leverage action you can take. Send a personal update email to your entire network – or at least everyone who knows you professionally.

What to include:

• A brief update on what you’re working on
• Why you’re excited about it
• A specific ask for help
• Make it easy to respond

Timing: I do this no more than once or twice a year, and tend to leverage it when something significant changes in my business.

Pro tip: Personalize the top 20-30 most important contacts with a line or two that’s specific to them.

Starter language:

Subject: Quick update + a request

Hi [Name],

I hope you’re doing well! I wanted to share a quick update on what I’ve been working on and ask for your help.

I’ve recently launched [or: I’m currently focused on] helping [specific type of company/person] with [specific problem you solve]. I’ve been really energized by [brief mention of a success story or why you love this work].

I’m looking to connect with [very specific description of ideal introduction – title, industry, company size, pain point]. If anyone comes to mind who might benefit from a conversation, I’d be grateful for an introduction.

I’d also love to hear what you’re working on – is there anyone I could connect you with or any way I can be helpful? It would be great to explore this on a call if you have time. What’s your schedule like over the next couple of weeks?

Thanks for being in my corner, [Your name]

The responses you get will surprise you. People will share ideas you hadn’t considered. They’ll make introductions. They’ll tell you about their own challenges (which might be a perfect fit for your services). And some won’t respond at all – and that’s fine.

The One-on-One Conversation Framework

Every conversation – every single one – should end with some version of “Who else should I be talking to?”

This works in scheduled catch-up calls, at conferences, in coffee meetings, even in Zoom calls that were about something else entirely. Make it a habit.

Here’s the key: ask for advice first, introductions second. People are much more willing to give you guidance than to make introductions to their network. But advice conversations naturally lead to “Oh, you should talk to Sarah about this” moments.

My system:

• I schedule regular catch-up calls with connections I haven’t spoken to in 6+ months
• I use a tiered approach: hot/warm/cold contacts get different levels of asks
• I do my best to close the loop – I tell introducers what happened with their introduction

I always close the loop: When someone makes an introduction for me, I let them know what happened. Even if it didn’t lead anywhere, I send a quick note: “Thanks again for the intro to John. We had a great conversation, and while it’s not the right fit right now, I really appreciated learning about his approach to X.” This makes people more likely to help you again.

Starter language:

“This has been really helpful – thank you. I’m curious, based on what you’re hearing from me, who else do you think I should be talking to? Either people who might be interested in this work, or people who could give me good advice as I’m building this out?”

Or if you want to be more specific:

“I’m trying to connect with more [specific type of person]. Do you know anyone in your network who fits that description who might be open to a conversation?”

Leverage Your Communities

You’re likely already a member of professional associations, alumni networks, industry groups, or online communities. But are you actually leveraging them for business development?

Professional associations:

• Many have member directories → use them. It’s a pretty natural outreach to mention that you are both members of x association and would they be up for a short networking conversation.
• Bulletin boards or job boards often allow posts beyond just job listings
• Volunteer for committees or leadership roles (visibility + relationship building)
• Attend the events, but go with a plan (ask me about my conference training program)

Online communities:

• Slack groups, Discord servers, LinkedIn Groups where your ideal clients gather
• Don’t just lurk – participate thoughtfully
• Offer help before you ask for it
• When appropriate, share what you’re working on in context

Alumni networks:

• People are often surprisingly willing to help fellow alums
• Most schools have regional chapters, affinity groups, or industry-specific networks
• Use LinkedIn to search for alums at target companies 

Starter language for community engagement:

In a Slack group or on a bulletin board:

“Hi everyone – I’m [name], and I work with [type of company] to [solve specific problem]. I’m looking to connect with folks who are dealing with [specific challenge]. If that’s you, or if you know someone who’d benefit from a conversation, I’d love to chat. [Link to calendar or email]”

Or even simpler:

“I’m looking to learn from people who have experience with [topic]. Would anyone be open to a brief conversation? Happy to share what I’m learning in return.”

Strategic Visibility: Staying Top of Mind

Most of us underestimate the power of simply being visible. When someone in your network has a need that matches what you do, will you be top of mind? That depends on whether they’ve thought about you recently.

Content sharing:

• Share insights on LinkedIn – not promotional posts, but genuinely useful perspective
• Write brief case studies that make your value clear (and easy for others to articulate)
• Comment thoughtfully on others’ posts (visibility without self-promotion)

Thought leadership:

• Offer to speak at industry events or on panels
• Guest on podcasts (even small ones in your niche)
• Write guest articles for industry publications
• Host a small webinar or workshop on a relevant topic

Make it easy to refer you:

• Create a simple one-pager: who you help, how you help them, what a great introduction looks like
• Share this with anyone who says “I’ll keep my ears open for you”
• Include testimonials and specific outcomes

Starter language for a LinkedIn post:

“I’ve been thinking a lot about [industry challenge or trend]. Here’s what I’m seeing with the clients I work with:

[2-3 specific observations with brief examples]

The companies that are handling this well are doing [X]. The ones that are struggling are usually [Y].

What are you seeing in your world? Am I off base here?”

This positions you as an expert, demonstrates your value, and invites engagement – all without being “salesy.”

The Follow-Up System: Consistency Beats Intensity

Here’s where most networking efforts die: the follow-up. You have a great conversation, you say “let’s keep in touch,” and then… nothing.

A simple system makes all the difference:

Track your conversations:

• I use a simple spreadsheet (contact name, company, date of last contact, notes on conversation, next action, date for follow-up)
• CRM tools work too, but don’t let perfect be the enemy of good – a spreadsheet works fine

Calendar reminders:

• For people who said “not now, but maybe in six months,” set a reminder to check back
• For warm connections, set quarterly reminders to reach out
• For hot prospects, weekly or biweekly depending on context

Stay top-of-mind without asking for anything:

• Send relevant articles: “Saw this and thought of you”
• Make introductions for them when you can
• Congratulate them on company news or personal milestones
• Share useful resources related to challenges they mentioned

Request testimonials and recommendations:

• After successful projects, ask clients for LinkedIn recommendations
• Specific testimonials about outcomes make it easier for others to refer you
• These also give you credible proof points to share

Measure and iterate:

• What’s working? Which types of outreach get responses?
• Which sources lead to actual opportunities?
• Double down on what works

Starter language for a follow-up touch:

After a “not now” conversation:

“Hi [Name] – we spoke a few months ago about [topic], and you mentioned [specific thing they were working on or challenge they mentioned]. I wanted to check back in and see how things are progressing. Also, I came across [article/resource] and immediately thought of you – [one sentence on why it’s relevant].

Any updates on [the thing you discussed]?”

For staying in touch:

“Hi [Name] – I was just thinking about our conversation about [topic] and wanted to share this [article/insight/resource]. Hope you’re doing well!”

Make It Easy for People to Help You

This might be the most important section of this entire post. You can do everything else right, but if you make it hard for people to help you, they won’t.

Be specific about your ideal introduction:

• Not: “Anyone who might need consulting help”
• Instead: “VP of Sales or CRO at B2B SaaS companies, 50-200 employees, struggling with inconsistent pipeline from their sales team”

Provide a clear value proposition others can articulate:

• You should be able to say in one sentence what you do and who you help
• Test it: Can someone who just met you explain it to someone else?
• “I help [specific type of company] solve [specific problem] so they can [specific outcome]”

Give examples of great introductions:

• “A great introduction for me would be someone like John at TechCorp – they were growing fast but their sales process was all over the place”
• This gives people a concrete picture to match against their network

Offer multiple ways to help:

• Some people are comfortable making warm introductions
• Others prefer to forward your info and let the contact reach out
• Some will just give you a name and let you mention theirs
• Some are better at giving advice or feedback
• Don’t force one path – offer options

Remove friction:

• Draft intro emails they can use or customize
• Share your calendar link so scheduling is easy
• Provide your one-pager so they have talking points
• Make the ask small and specific

Sample “make it easy” message:

“Thank you so much for offering to introduce me! Here’s some language you can use if it’s helpful:

‘I wanted to connect you with [Your Name]. They work with [type of company] to [solve specific problem]. I thought of you because [specific reason based on their situation]. [Your Name] is great at [specific skill/approach] and I think you two should talk. Would you be open to a brief conversation?’

Totally fine to modify that however makes sense! And here’s my calendar link if that makes scheduling easier: [link]

Really appreciate this.”

The Conference Connection: Your Network IS Your Ongoing Conference

If you’ve worked with me on conference strategy, this is going to sound familiar. Everything we do to maximize ROI at conferences – the systematic approach, the intentional outreach, the follow-up discipline – applies to everyday network activation.

Conferences force you to be systematic and intentional because they’re time-bound. You have three days to make connections, set meetings, and create opportunities. The urgency creates focus.

But here’s what I’ve realized: your network IS your ongoing conference. The same principles apply, just on a different timeline.

At a conference:

• You research attendees beforehand and identify target contacts
• You reach out with specific meeting requests
• You’re strategic about your time and who you talk to
• You follow up immediately after with everyone you met
• You track conversations and next steps systematically

With your network:

• You identify tiers of contacts and what you need from each
• You reach out with specific asks
• You’re strategic about where you invest your networking energy
• You follow up consistently and close loops
• You track conversations and maintain the relationships systematically

The difference? Conferences are time-bound sprints. Network activation is ongoing cultivation. But the same discipline that makes you successful at conferences will make you successful at turning your network into a consistent source of pipeline.

Start Here: Your First Action This Week

Reading this post won’t change anything. You have to actually do something.

Here’s my challenge to you: Pick ONE action from this post and do it this week. Just one.

Maybe it’s:

• Sending that big network update email you’ve been putting off
• Scheduling three catch-up calls with people you haven’t talked to in a year
• Drafting your one-pager that makes it easy for people to refer you
• Joining one new community where your ideal clients gather
• Setting up a simple tracking system so follow-ups don’t fall through the cracks

Start small. Start anywhere. But start.

Because here’s what I know: Your network wants to help you. They’re rooting for you. They just need you to tell them what you need and make it easy for them to act.

Which tactic are you going to try first?

(For more on how to ask for a referral, see my blog post “The B2B Referral Ask That Doesn’t Feel Cheesy: A Guide for Non-Sales Professionals”)