Personal interaction - where did it go?
I realise the inherent irony of an e-zine telling you to get more personal, but don't kill the messenger just yet.
Yes, I confess. I narcisissistically twitter, blog, facebook photos and engage in web 2.0 conversations with clients, friends and funky thinkers around the world. That is one thing that the internet media are great for.
What about locally though?...
Click here to read the thought of the day and get more concrete advice on how to profoundly re-connect with your clients, friends, prospects and get past the gate-keeper and their mental spam filters.
Thought of the day:
We have become inundated with emails (like this), it's never been harder to set a social appointment due to a blitzkrieg worth of sms's we send to set our appointment co-ordinates, our mental bandwidth limits are squeezed with 'doom and gloom' news, we complain about work/life balance, yet we do not really know what constitutes quality of life / interaction.
One thing is true in work and life - that is that a computer interface will never replace a human face. For any parent who shares custody you know what I am talking about. A skype chat does not replace a deep and meaningful next to an open fire. A cheque for an experience does not substitute for a father and son fishing trip. When my cat Finnegan lived elsewhere for some months last year, hearing him over the phone miowing did not measure up to a good snuggle.
It's the same in business. We need to employ the best in digital technology, but we also need to do the analogue things better.
For example:
a. when did you last invite a client for a 2-hour lunch (yes, 2 hours and wine should form part of it)
b. when did you last invite a client to come with you to an event as your guests?
c. when did you last write a hand-written, unbranded postcard thanking somebody for their business or referral? (christmas only half counts)
In times of mistrust, low business confidence, and a 'no, no, no, maybe'-attitude to just about everything, your ability to profoundly connect with people on a one-on-one basis is essential.
Call me or invite me for a coffee on 0415 18 17 15 so that I can tell you more.
This doesn't mean we ditch technology - no, but technology is just a facilitator of your message.
According to research at Harvard and MIT two human skills have an added economic premium on them in these whacky times:
a. Expert Thinking - the ability to solve non-routine problems in non-routine ways
b. Complex Communications - the ability to interpret and relay information in a profoundly engaging fashion
How are you boosting your expert thinking and complex communications?
Here are three things to do to profoundly connect face2face:
1. Stop running around like a headless chook for a while - schedule quality time with your clients and just hang out. Preferably over a good meal.
2. Invite your clients into your life. Cook them a dinner at home or invite them to a social gathering at your place.
3. Opt for phone, face2face meetings, and a walk in the park over a teleconference any day where possible.
What do you think?
Leave a comment!
0 Comment