Before reaching out, ask whether the message just shares information or reminds them what you do, or whether it actually shows you care.
The idea
Most of the people I coached were real estate agents, and we asked them to reframe outreach from selling to helping. Begin a "human" mindset: engage to help, to educate or to show gratitude, and focus on the action rather than the outcome. We gave them a care vs. information test for every message: Are you just sharing information? Are you just reminding them that you're in real estate? How do you show you care? Swap in your own line of work and the questions still apply.
How to do it
Before you reach out, run the three questions on the message.
If it only informs or reminds, show care instead: remember an important date, congratulate them on a big accomplishment, invite them to an event, offer to help, or share a book or other helpful resource.
Make this the anchor question each week: "How will this interaction with this person provide value?"
Example
For an agent, helping and educating looked like local stats, moving tips, staging advice, or a list of trusted home-services people. As we told them about the list of ways to show care: "Notice how you aren't just sharing information, you aren't reminding them you're in real estate!"
Sources
From Zvi's coaching program
Related frameworks
Sherpa, Not Salesperson: Act as a guide who maps the climb and sets everyone's role, instead of a salesperson pushing for the close.
Add Value, Don't Just Follow Up: Nobody wants to be followed up with. Treat the follow-up as your cue, and make the touch leave the other person better off.
Transformation Over Information: Information is everywhere now, so value means helping people change. Discuss the article, join the workout, walk them through what worked for you.
The Five Fundamentals of Adding Value: Five rules from my coaching: follow-up is the trigger and value is the act, never do nothing, focus on the feeling, invest by priority, extend your personal monopoly.