CONNECTION PREVENTS REJECTION
Do you want to know what my biggest business pet peeve is? When someone I don’t know messages me on social media with a “hey I’m doing a drawing where you can win this or that and all you have to do is share this post or that post…”
Seriously, these messages are the biggest turn off ever. It’s like the sender is throwing a pot of spaghetti at the wall and hoping that some of it sticks. If that is how you like to do business, you might want to skip this post, but if you are like me and prefer to get to know people first, keep reading.
If you have been a victim of the above type of cold-messaging-wannabe-business communication, you know that your first reaction is to just delete the message. That’s usually what I do. If you are the person sending such messages and hoping that just one or two people take you up on your offer, let me tell you, there is a BETTER way!
I am going to let you in on a little secret (it’s really not that secret, its just something that most people forget): Business is RELATIONAL, not TRANSACTIONAL. But wait, I don’t make money if I don’t make transactions, right? Wrong. You don’t make transactions if you don’t make relationships first. You have to focus on connecting with people. Build rapport with them before you ask them for business. Remember that cold message I talked about in the beginning of this post? I got one of those messages today and I don’t even know how the person found me…we have only one friend in common and I don’t think we are in any of the same Facebook groups. I am not inclined to engage with this business offer because I have absolutely no connection to the person that sent the message.
With social media, it is easier than ever to “cold-call” people. Except now instead of getting hung up on, people just ignore your message, and maybe block you, so you don’t feel the sting of the rejection. That doesn’t mean you aren’t being rejected.
The way you communicate with people, especially in the beginning, sets the stage for how they will respond to you. If you take the time to connect with people and build a relationship with them, they are far more likely to engage in business with you at some point.
But how do you connect with people? I’m so glad you asked! Ironically, the ability to be connected to the world constantly has somehow made us more disconnected than ever. Think about it – we text or email instead of call people, we email or send an e-card instead of writing a letter or a handwritten card. While these methods are convenient, they come up short when it comes to making meaningful connections.
We now have to work harder to make connections with people and I have 3 tips to help you do that!
1. Be visible. Use photos of yourself in your marketing/social media content. Use video as much as you are comfortable so that people can see you AND hear your voice. By being visible, people can build what is called a para-social relationship with you (a relationship in which your audience feels like they know you and have connection with you, even if you don’t know who they are) which will lead them to be comfortable with you and have higher potential to engage in business with you.
2. Be relatable. I’ve said this before, but it’s important enough to repeat! Don’t be afraid to share your “human” side in your business. Use stories and experiences from your life to help you build connections. You can use personal experiences as the basis of social media content, website, or blog content (like this post…I’m sure you all just had to know that I received a cold marketing message today! 😉), or even just as a fun way for your audience to get to know you. If you are relatable, it is much easier to build the connections you need for business success!
3. Reach out. If you come across someone you would like to message directly, it is okay to do so, just don’t start out by asking them for business. Start out with an introduction and a little bit about you. Say hello, ask how their day is going (if it is near a holiday, give a holiday greeting or a “hope your (insert holiday here) was great!), then give them a chance to respond. Once they do, you can let them know very briefly what you do and simply let them know that you are looking for new clients or new business. DO NOT ask for business in the first communication exchange. The best way to build connection is to simply treat people like they are your friend, not a business target!
Understanding the importance of getting to know people will help you build solid connections that will turn into relationships and eventually lead to transactions for your business. Additionally, building those relationships and following the tips above will help strengthen your credibility with your audience and set you up for success! In case you missed our post about credibility last week, click HERE to check it out!
I hope this post has helped you understand the importance of building strong connections first, and then nurturing your relationships before asking for business! To learn more about how you can build better connections, improve your communication skills for building better business relationships, and boost your credibility with your audience, click HERE to book a strategy session with me!
Thanks for stopping by!
Ciao for now!