This month’s theme is about connecting. Let us face it, we are all going through our trials and tribulations these days; we have now been in three months of isolation, although, we can go outside more with the nice weather. The stock market has leveled off, but it is still in crisis. Businesses are closed and services are limited, even though places are opening.
But what is happening is that living in this zone of the unknown tends to bring up deep-rooted fears, feelings of insecurity, fear about abandonment, loss, lack, and not being good enough. You name it and these things come up. We need to look at our issues, heal them, be okay with them and transform them by reframing our thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
So can you imagine, if you’re going through these feelings, emotions, doubts, fears, even despondency around your business maybe being closed, then you can bet your bottom dollar that your clients, team, colleagues, and stakeholders are as well.
Now is a great time to take extra time for those you work with or do business with.
You’re not alone now; others are going through change, fear, worry, doubt, and are wondering about life and its meaning. So now more than ever is a good time to connect to those you do business with or work with. Plan a meeting over coffee in a nearby park (6 feet apart, now that the weather is nicer) or do lunch if you’re feeling extravagant, however, the bottom line is to connect.
I find that the time we are all in now is a fabulous time to talk to people you do business with and ask them what they want, what they dream of, and where they would really like to go with their business.
Since we’re all pivoting, what do we want to pivot into?
Find out what motivates your clients, what drives them, and what they think about—get to know them on a deeper, more meaningful level so that when the economy bounces back (and it will) and spending goes up, you will have vastly improved your relationships with your clients. By taking the time now to get to know them and help them, I guarantee that when things do bounce back in the marketplace, you will be the first place they buy from.
I was on Facebook live, sharing some of my struggles right about now, and a friend who watched asked to have a complimentary coaching session with me. His business is going through challenges and life is not all that great for him just now. So, we had a good 45-minute chat to help a bit at this time.
We left knowing that our bond was closer and can become more so. You see, in tough times, people need to connect more, have a sense of closeness and community, and feel that they can count on their fellow men and women.
So, if you are not connecting to those business colleagues that matter, you may be missing the boat. But connect out of sincerity, out of a sense of love and compassion for your clients. They say what you give comes back, so if you can give without the expectation of receiving back immediate dividends, then your business has a built-in “insurance” plan for the future.
You can ensure that the good things you do for your clients and the team you work with will come back tenfold later on.
I remember that during the SARS crisis that hit Toronto in the early 2000’s, my coaching business had pretty well gone out the door. No one was spending. To make matters worse, the second Gulf War had just started and people in Toronto were just a little too panicky. I am sure it was the same for you wherever you were as well!
When discussing my business with my mentor, Bob Gernon, back then, he suggested I offer my services for free. This way I could stay in front of my clients, keep in action, and be remembered as the guy who went that extra mile.
You know, it worked! I did a little free coaching with clients that really needed it. It did not pay off right away, but it did later after the effects of SARS at that time had disappeared. My clients were happy; they stayed with me and even commented that it was nice to get the coaching at a time that they, too, were facing challenges.
You see, when it comes down to it, what matters isn’t the money you make, but the lives you impact. That is the real currency that no one talks about on the news. It is the lives you touch and the positive feelings you generate. Studies show that we human beings buy goods and services based on feelings and emotions. Wouldn’t it behoove you to sell that way? To generate good vibes and feelings for your team at work or the clients you serve?
I remember having a dinner with my high school buddies back in January. We felt a connection—a closeness and a sense that all was right in the world. Why? Well, because we were together, celebrating, honoring our friendships, and honoring the fact that it was 40 years ago when we graduated from high school and 20 years since we all lost hair!
That is what life is all about. It is about experiencing the “sacred” special moments. If you do not think that that is true for your clients, then I have news for you. Take time out to ask them and check in on them. Generate new conversations and link them up with someone else that can benefit from what they do. Plan to help a charity together… just get “connected” to your clients and watch the magic happen in your business.
Take the slow times in your business to connect more profoundly with your clients. Work to get close to your team at work or your clients and be darn sure to give back now, because it will pay off down the road. It is when the economy does bounce back that your business will soar.
It is about positioning too. Ask yourself how you want to be viewed in the marketplace. What is the legacy you want to be known for in your life and in your business? How high do you want to go? Once you establish this, get in motion, act, and give back your time, your sense of compassion, and understanding to your clients.
WORKSHOP
1. What are three things you can do to stay close to your customers after a purchase is made?
2. What would you want to find out in an annual client/planning session?
3. Who have you done business with that has stayed in touch with you? How did that make you feel?
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