I was mentioned in a highly visible professional organization’s blog post in December. She had noticed that our year-earlier podcast was still getting hits.

I wanted to thank her for thinking of me and the shout-out. So rather than sending a bland email, I recorded an audio thank you on my cell phone’s LinkedIn app and sent it as a LinkedIn message, with the final thought, let’s reprise the podcast and update it since it still has shelf life after a year.

No reply.

I looked at her LinkedIn profile contact details and she had only provided an email address, and not that of the professional organization, rather her Gmail box address. No cell number, a no-no I might add, becuase I could have texted her, but I digress.

Intrepid and intent, I recorded another audio voice mail and sent it.

Nothing. Had she left the organization? Hmmm…

Intrepid and intent, I contacted a mutual colleague at the professional organization and asked if she still worked there. I was told she was returning on a certain date 3 weeks hence. I thanked him for his help, and waited a few days after her return date, emailed an “ICYMI” (in case you missed it) note.

That elicited a reply and although it was not the reply I had hoped, she did refer me to another colleague there who has his own ezine column, and I pitched him on the online intake form they use.

Moral of this electronic fable: follow, follow, follow up.

It seemed she no longer worked there, and though she did but was on extended leave, I got another opportunity by persevering. I calendarized the reminders to follow up and it’s now being considered, placing me further up the food chain than a one-shot-over-the-bow email. My voice, friendly and swaying, got me in front of a new member in the organization.

Will I be chosen? We shall see. I just calendarized it to remind myself to let you know. And to follow up with them.

Which reminds me to suggest this to you: place a reminder on your calendar to review your LinkedIn profile every 3 months or you will forget. I assure you of that. And ensure the profile correctly reflects the placemark in your career journey that you are at that time on your calendar.

Had to get a learning point (or 2 or 3) out of this somehow!