Hiring managers often ask me: How frequent should I be contacting my prospects during the follow-up stage of the recruiting process?Too much can certainly be annoying, but most recruiters error on the side of not enough contact.According to researchers, increasing frequency taps into what’s called the “mere exposure effect” of attraction.In simple terms, the more you’re exposed to something or someone, the more attractive it becomes.Familiarity (covered earlier this week) is the shotgun approach–competitive agents first need to be generally familiar with you and your organization.The mere exposure effect is a targeted approach—it is best applied to a small group of people you’re trying to recruit.If an individual sees you and hears from you frequently, an attraction will likely sprout and grow.Connections can happen in various ways such as an email, a text, a social networking post, or a phone call.The messages and interactions should be positive, helpful, personal, and timely.By being proactive and focused on these types of interactions, you’re tipping the terrain so prospects are moving downhill towards you.