Be Someone Worth Connecting With

With everyone vying to be connected how do you become the obvious choice that you are who people want to connect with. In the digital age anyone can connect with anyone at anyone time, there are things that you can do to get people to notice you, your brand and the difference you are making with your business. Personal relationships are the cornerstone to all things business.

We have all heard the old adage “ It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” And that’s a very true statement. Plenty of people have gotten to where they are in life based off who they knew and if the timing and opportunity was right for them. Yes, there are people who will claim that they made it all by themselves but the fact of the matter is people make the world go round; and you need people to sell to, buy from, and create opportunities with.

In Dale Carnegie's book; How to win friends and influence people he says; “ You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you." So by showing others that you’re interested in them in turn makes them interested in you. By being someone worth connecting with; it provides you an opportunity to be a valuable resource to others as well as the person they want to do business with.

Using social media has helped this to be an easy task to accomplish. By liking, following, or commenting on someone else’s post lets them know that you’re interested in them; but how do you get them to become more interested in you? We have lost the personal touch that we give when we call someone over the phone, or sit down and meet with someone in person. And while time is a component in being able to do those things efficiently there are a few quick ways to make someone feel like they should want to connect with you. I have found that directly connecting with someone in their inbox gives you a direct competetive advantage over people who just like or comment on a post.

With social media it starts to be about the content you put forth. What are you posting about? Is it inspiring, uplifting, helpful or educational? What type of value are you providing? These are the types of adjectives that people who are looking to connect with someone, regarding business are looking for. It shows them what type of person you are and what value you can bring to them. Listed below are a few ways to be someone to connect with:

Be Authentic. Learning who you are as an individual and as a professional is key. Letting that shine through and showing people that you truly care will get you authentic connections. When you can connect with someone and also be relatable it makes the connection that much stronger. If you're not going to be authentic and show genuine interest with whom you're trying to connect with, then stop trying.

Provide Value. Value is what everyone is looking for when forming new alliances and potential business prospects. Whether you're looking for clients, power partners or increasing your sphere of influence people want to know what do you bring to the table. Too many times people reach out to someone thinking what can this person do for me instead of what can I do for this person. Being of value especially through your content will make you someone worth connecting with.

Be clear and concise. When communicating with others whether verbal or written it is important to be clear and concise. Your message should always be easily understood and to the point. Consumers and sellers alike want to be able to grasp what you are talking about within the first few minutes.

Accomplish something great within your community. When you are seen out in your community it helps people to become familiar with you and your cause. It puts you out there in front and you're able to make great connections with people who support the same initiatives you support. It also serves as a great base to build stronger relationships and ShOW people you are someone they should know.

Be Persistent and Consistent. The fortune is in the follow up. If you continously put in the effort and stay at top of mind people will see you as someone reliable. Being reliable within your network and community is a great characteristic and by showing others this it puts you ahead of the class. Staying committed to your goal and to the vision is key and being able to get through that first initial attempt and keep going will get you across the finish line. As someone in business persistency and resilency will get you through as someone worth knowing.

Have a plan. Everyone appreciates the person who has a plan; it shows that you are someone who is a visionary. Planning is essential part of business and life. There's an old saying, "If you fail to plan, plan to fail." When you have a plan you are confident and sure of yourself and this some through in your demeanor and interactions with others.

Be the obvious choice. Standing out and being the difference is what makes you unique! Stay in front, follow up, and let your personality and work ethic shine through it makes all the difference.

Utilizing these 7 tips, tricks, and techniques will help you build a solid network of loyal people whether clients or potential business partners in order to take your business to the next level.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2012/04/25/the-7-pillars-of-connecting-with-absolutely-anyone/#2d28014a3419