Email Etiquette: Contacting with Pictures

Make Contact / Recontact / Renew Contact / Being in touch with old contacts with photos first

Getting in contact with people you have not contacted in awhile, it's awkward anyway you slice it. I like to attach a photo whenever possible, even if it is only vaguely related to your subject matter, and make my message short.

If you get a reply to your short message, then follow it up with something more in depth. This is Audience 101: You are writing to someone who will read and consider what is written. This means you are valuing your own writing and time - a good message to send.

On the web, as in all relationships, my goal is to develop relationships which are characterized by positive feedback loops. This means that relationships in which I am getting minimal input from any party, unless there is some veiled and important purpose - I purposely shelf or simply reciprocate the lack of care and mindfulness and say "Hey, you're an aquiantance for practical purposes. I don't hate you, but I sure don't rely on you." (Caveat: I do have many old friends who get exceptions and passes on a regular basis. History matters.)

I need my time to develop relationships with people who want to develop them. Wasting time on people who are interested in wasting mine without reciprocation does get old.