ROC Weekly Management & Mindset Segment

How to Stay Connected in the Drug and Alcohol Recovery Industry

Staying connected in the drug and alcohol rehab industry is important for your professional success. By developing and maintaining connections, you can gain access to a talent pool, increase your professional development, learn about potential clients, find mentor/mentee opportunities, and stay updated with the latest industry news. It can also help you exchange ideas, build confidence in your own decisions, and access advice.

How to stay connected in the rehab industry

Here is a list of ways you can stay connected to others in the drug and alcohol treatment center industry:

Plan a small get together

You can plan a small get-together to connect with people in your area. These face-to-face encounters can help you maintain connections with your client list, introduce your contacts to each other, and take the pressure off of meeting in a one-on-one setting.

Connect on social media

Social media can help you take a casual approach to connecting with others in the industry, especially on LinkedIn. Consider following up with people you met at a conference or that are part of other industry groups to which you belong. You can send them a short message, add them as a contact, and even invite them to applicable online groups. Stay active on social media by sharing important news and updates, and by commenting on the posts others share. Ensure your profile is up to date, accurate, and focused on your role in the industry.

Offer your help

To help build meaningful connections with your contacts, consider the ways you can be of service to them. Think about previous conversations you have had, review their social media posts, or search their website and press releases to consider how you can offer help. For instance, you might recommend a potential candidate for a role, share important industry news, or offer your physical help with setting up their industry luncheon. Remember to be sincere in your offer and avoid offering a favor with the expectation it will be returned.

Give thanks

If someone on your contact list provided you with a favor, offered advice, or helped connect you with someone important, be sure to reach out and express your gratitude. You can consider giving them praise via social media, a direct email, or with a handwritten note and small gift.

Connect with content

You can share helpful content on social media, to your email list, or by contacting someone directly. This can include interesting work by others or the content you created yourself. If you see a piece of content that was written by one of your contacts, share it, like it, and comment on it. If they have been mentioned somewhere for their good work, share the news with others.

Host an event

You can consider hosting an industry event or even planning a virtual meeting to help local industry members connect. This can help your contacts connect with each other, and can help position you as the point of contact for questions.

Share your work

Ensure the work you create is available to others and can be easily shared. This can help you get noticed and stay memorable and can help encourage readers to contact you with questions or follow up with comments.

Participate in events

It is important to be present at industry events, whether in person or online. This can help you reconnect with old contacts, establish new ones, and position you as an active member of the industry. The more you interact with people in this way, the more likely it is that you will be seen as a key member of the industry in your area. Be sure to attend informal events to help connect with people on a more personal level.

Tips to help you connect with others in the rehab industry

Here is a list of tips you can use when trying to stay connected in the industry:

• Prioritize your contacts: Searching through your contacts list can be overwhelming, so it's helpful to categorize your list and plan accordingly. For instance, with people you met at a conference, you can connect via social media, for those in your area, host a small get-together, and for people you admire and look up to, consider smart questions you can ask to break the ice and develop a connection.

• Schedule networking into your routine: One of the keys to a large and strong network is consistent contact. Consider scheduling a small amount of time each week, month, and year to aid your networking efforts. For instance, you can plan to engage on social media once a week, reach out personally to a couple of contacts once per month, and host a local event once per year. Think about your current approach to networking and what you could do to improve it.

• Keep your contact list updated: To help save you time and effort, and to avoid sending a well-thought-out note to an email address that no longer exists, keep your contacts list updated. You can also think about the people that are no longer relevant on your list and remove them. Likewise, think about the people you have met or would like to connect with and add them to your list.

• Use different methods of contact: Some people respond better to certain approaches of communication than others. Think about your contacts and the best way to approach them.

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