While I love technology for systematizing my business and empowering me to grow a team around the country, when it comes to making meaningful connections, I prefer to go at it old school-style. In a world where our inboxes are jammed and we’re inundated with notifications and alerts at all hours of the day, opting for old school connections will feel like a breath of fresh air…and help you stand out from the pack.
Here are three ways I regularly cultivate relationships using old school tactics:
Send snail mail
One of my new year’s resolutions this year was to send more thank you notes, and this quickly expanded into my business. Every Friday, I sit down, put pen to paper, and write a thank you note to someone who has helped me in some way. It could be to one of my referrers, a peer, or sometimes even a blogger or podcaster who has helped me with my business. Sending a message that doesn’t require staring at a screen, combined with the expression of gratitude, is a quick and easy way to stand out and build a genuine connection.
Show up
Between Skype, Zoom, and Google hangouts, there are plenty of ways to meet “face to face,” but in reality, you’re actually meeting “screen to screen.” What would happen if you took the time or made the trip to meet people face to face? You may have noticed that more and more entrepreneurs are organizing retreats and live events to cultivate a community in real life, and that’s because people are craving real, human connection. Want to connect with a potential referrer? Show up at one of their events. Or even better, offer to assist them at one of their events. Want to expand your peer group? Attend a conference or retreat. In the words of acclaimed publicist Lauren Cerand, “Showing up is the new re-tweeting.”
Play Matchmaker
Before social media, getting connected to potential employees, employers, collaborators, and business besties required a direct referral or introduction. Someone one you knew had to make the introduction. Now, people assume anyone can get to anybody, but DMing someone on twitter or sending a Facebook message isn’t the same as a person-to-person introduction. Think about the people in your network. Are there people that could help each other? Possibly work together or collaborate? Take the time to introduce them and help them make a genuine connection.
Online networking is easy, so everybody does it, but by going back to the basics, you can really stand out—in a way that’s truly memorable.
If you’re ready to become more memorable and make more meaningful connections, I’m leading a free webinar:
This webinar will outline the 7 steps to becoming more memorable through personal branding, and will be followed by a live Q&A.
I know everyone’s schedule is different, which is why I’m doing my best to accommodate by offering two chances to attend live:
Friday, August 17th at 12:30pm EST
Monday, August 20th at 8:00pm EST
I hope to see you there!
Leave a Reply