This is the huge networking mistake you dont know youre making

This is the huge networking mistake you dont know youre makingThis is the huge networking mistake you dont know youre makingThere are a host of ways you can go wrong when writing business and networking emails, from horrible subject lines to forgetting to include attachments.But you could also be making another huge mistake - not making a request about the next steps.As the sender, its up to you to be clear about what you want the recipient to do, as Quartz at Work notes.Heres why you should include a requestHeather Piedmont, CEO and Founder of Heather Piedmont Media, illustrates how to include an action item in a networking email in a Levo post.Dont let it end at just an email that can be passed by give them something to do in response, Piedmont writes. Suggest a time and date to meet up again and do a face-to-face follow-up, or ask a simple question for them to answer. This will make aya your message isnt ignored, and shows you want to connect further. Sometimes (and even I have t his moment)you hand over a business cardand wonder if it will even be worth the paper its made of. With an action item, you show that youre a profitable and positive connection with initiative.Heres what else you shouldnt do in networking emailsHere are some other mistakes youll want to avoidDont rambleOversharing by waxing poetic about everything thats happened in your careeris a surefire way to make the recipients eyes glaze over.So keep it brief and to the point. Make it clear that their time is valuable.Dont copy unnecessary recipients at the companyLooping everyone in isnt always a good thing.Anisa Purbasari Horton, ofFast Companys Leadership section, features advice from Peggy Duncan, productivity expert, author of Conquer Email Overload with Better Habits, Etiquette and Outlook, and founder of The Digital Breakthroughs Institute, in an article for the publication about the follow-up email.Duncan said, When sending an email, ask yourself who needs to receive the information yo ure sending, and only send it to those individuals. If this isnt clear, ask yourself the question, Would I pick this person to call about what Im about to email them? If the answer is no, Duncan said, Why are you emailing them about it?Dont fail to turn on the charmIts possible to kill two birds with one stone here.Heather R. Huhman, founder president of Come Recommended, writes on LinkedIn that you should feed their ego in a networking email.A great way to capture someones attention is to flatter them with your email,Huhman writes. For example, you can highlight one of their accomplishments that impressed you or something you admire about them. This is a great way to show youve done some research and that youre genuinely interested in building a relationship with the person.