The Big Deal About Establishing Connections
I've heard it, you’ve heard it, your friends have heard it: the next generation does not care about face-to-face communication and relationships. The youth of today would rather text than call, rather email than meet in person, rather ignore than confront. The digital age is here, and with it many people are forgetting about the importance of actually meeting and connecting with people.
If you are already a successful business owner, you may not see the point in going out and creating new relationships. You may rub it off as a tedious activity you just don’t have time for. We understand people get busy, especially working adults. However, there are so many amazing opportunities that can come from just having a cup of coffee with someone and hearing their story. It is not unlikely that they know someone who could help you in a significant way.
People love feeling things. When you put yourself out there and talk to people, you make them care about you and your company. Doesn’t it seem obvious that you would likely support the business of someone you personally know than someone you don’t? If this is the case, which it should be, shouldn’t you be making it a priority to get to know as many people as possible?!?! That’s what we thought.
So, how far do you need to go in this relationship-making? As much as we love relationships, there may be a fine line between professional and overly persistent on getting to know your customers. In her article, The Science of When You Need In-Person Communication, Laura Vanderkam shares that personal interaction is vital to building trust between the customer and business. The ability to shake hands, see verbal expressions, and detect other non-verbal cues all help to build a stronger relationship.
You don’t need to go out and meet every single person in the surrounding towns of your business. Being more active on social media platforms is a great way to start becoming more personal. Are you posting meaningful videos of you chatting, or are you posting a graphic with some random stock photo? Are you engaging with your followers and replying to comments, or are you only worried about how many likes you are getting? Vivid would love to help you with that portion. However, taking it to the real-world is a thousand times better. So, when you’re standing in line at Starbucks, try talking to the person in front of you. Ask what they do for a living, maybe even buy their coffee. You’d be surprised how far kindness and communication can get you.
Here at Vivid, we prioritize relationships. Each customer is incredibly important to us because without them, we wouldn’t be here. The better you know the people you are reaching, the more successful your products will be. Remember that in today’s world, everybody is on their phones and laptops. Anybody can post photos and videos to Instagram and get some “likes.” Dare to be different. Dare to be real.
