Entrepreneur women fight a lot of battles to become successful in their businesses. One of the battles that all of us fight is the art of connection. How well you connect with people will make or break your business.
Let’s be realistic here…your business is not unique. There are other people doing the same thing you are doing. Maybe not exactly, but you’re not the only one. However, having said that, you have something no one else has in your line of work. You have you! So the good news is that your business does have that unique niche…and that unique niche is YOU!
People who are searching for what you have, have many options to choose from. So what is going to set you apart? I want to suggest that authentic connection will set you apart and give you much more value in your marketplace. People choose whoever they felt the best connection with when searching for whatever it is that they want. Notice I used the word “felt.” People won’t always remember what you said or what you did but they will never forget the way you make them feel. That right there is the art of connection!
So how do you connect authentically? How do you create connection with the people around you? I want to give you three principles to live by when building your business through the art of connection.
The first principle is to leave your agenda outside the door when meeting new clients or possible clients. What does that mean…people know when you genuinely are interested in them or interested in selling them something. Nobody wants to be used or feel used. Getting to know them is way more important than them knowing all about you.
The second principle is to ask questions. Ask important questions then listen carefully. Listen to understand, not to respond. How many times do we listen and while we are listening we are thinking of our response. Instead of doing that, let us simply listen to understand. Ask more questions to go beyond the superficial level. Saying things like, “Tell me more about that” or “I’m listening” lets the person know you care about them and what they are sharing with you. This in turn creates the feeling of being understood. Who doesn’t long to be understood?
And lastly, take the time to step into their world. We don’t need to drag people into our world. We need to graciously step into their world. Know what they know, see what they see, feel how they feel. When we stop trying to bring people into our world but take the time to step into their world, you will give them the genuine gift of authentic connection. This is an amazing feeling.
Remember…people won’t always remember what you did or what you said, BUT they will always remember how you made them feel.
Ask questions. Keep your mouth shut. Listen to understand. Step into their world. And then you will have the opportunity to share what you have to offer.
Blog Contributor Christal Gerhart, Certified Health Coach & Business Affiliate Member
