Maintaining Professional Connections

Everybody wants the client or customer, but few want to take the time to build and nurture the connection and relationship. They want to make money deep down, but say on the surface that they care about people and their needs, and then wonder why the repeat customers are few, and marketing becomes strenuous.

Establishing a real connection is GOLD!! The energy that you radiate when you come from your heart first attracts the client, and your desire to satisfy them maintains the connection. You never know who is connected to your next blessing, or who you are meant to bless with resources unrelated to your business.

The professional connection is especially crucial in start-up businesses because the longer you build that connection, the stronger it will become, and the closer you are to where you want to be.

I own two businesses. One of which is a social media marketing business. When I first started the marketing business, I spent the whole first year establishing and maintaining connections and relationships. At the time this was not a strategy I implemented, it was something that I taught myself to do, and I enjoyed meeting new people and learning new things. As I came into my second year, those connections not only were (already) clients or newly signed clients but they were also REFERRALS! I would see posts weekly that a client or a connection would tag me in to connect me with someone that they felt needed my services. Shortly after, testimonials started to flood in and then opportunities were knocking at my door.

My Dad once told me “you are only ever 6 people away from where you want to be”. If that’s true, how important, on a scale of 1-10, do you think nurturing the connection is?

Here’s a secret: THE CONNECTION IS WHAT SEPARATES YOU FROM MOST OF THE COMPETITION!

I’m going to share with you my top 6 methods.

TOP 6 BUILDING BLOCKS TO MAINTAINING PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS

1. PLATFORM: Find the platform that works best for you to connect. What’s for some isn’t for everyone. It can be email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, networking events, heck it can be match.com if you think you ‘got’ it like that! My primary platforms are Facebook and LinkedIn.

2. ENGAGE!! Split your engagement between commenting on posts and messaging new faces. Pick about 5 people that you consistently engage in their posts, and 5 different people to message. Start with 5 to get comfortable. Respond genuinely on posts. Facebook has its own SEO type of system, so the more you engage on a person’s page, the more frequently your posts will come up in their feed, the more likely they are to connect to your page and see who you are and what you are all about. They will begin to engage with posts more frequently as well. As soon as you start seeing those 5 people engage consistently, is when it’s safe to move onto the next 5. That does not mean ignore your first 5, but simply to add 5 more and so on.

3. SELECTION: Your 5 people to message should be chosen strategically. You want to connect with like-minded individuals who respect and value people who may have a difference in opinions. In most cases, it’s not a good idea if you are into astrology, moon manifesting, and referring to God as “The Universe”, to connect with a Baptist Pastor of 23 years who only posts biblical scriptures. That may be a tough relationship to nurture as Pastors are typically on missions to “save souls” and a person who doesn’t share that same religious belief may have a more depleting relationship than a fulfilling one. This is just a random example. Pick 5 that you may admire, relate to, or aspire to be. Don’t intentionally seek 5 people with the mindset of “potential customers”.

4. MESSAGING: Tailor your message from your heart and keep it short, sweet, and to the point. Nobody wants to read a long message from a stranger. They will assume it’s a sales pitch, and your attempt at a connection will go out the window. DO NOT PITCH!!! My messages usually say something along the lines of “Hi (name)! Thank you for connecting. I enjoy meeting like-minded, high vibe entrepreneurs. I noticed in your bio that you are a speaker and you have been on the Today Show! What an accomplishment! To be recognized and honored for your accomplishments in the media is a big deal. Congratulations. We have public speaking in common and Media is one of my short-term goals. I would love to learn more about you and your career, any tips you may have for me, and see if I may possibly be of service to you in any way. Have a great day!”

The format is as follows:

Connect (Hi name!) Always address them by their name, no cute names yet.

Show appreciation and your position (Thank you for connecting. I love meeting (whatever type of person you like to connect with that makes this person feel special)).

Let them know you have checked out their profile by commenting or complimenting on something they have posted or have in their bio.

(you have such a beautiful family…etc.)

Conclude with why you’re messaging them, ie. Why they shouldn’t delete you (I would love to know more about you/business and possibly how I may be of service to you)

Optionally you can add something cute or inclusive, such as (Mompreneurs have to stick together).

5. Conversation Flow: After someone has responded, your job is to let the conversation flow naturally. Be yourself. Don’t pitch! You will get offered the floor to introduce who you are and what you do. Typically, after they expand on who they are and what they do, they ask “what about you?” or “what do you do?” Those who are invested have already read your bio so they may say something to the nature of, “I see you’re a published author! Congratulations! What inspired you to start writing?” or “What is your book about…etc.” Then you have the floor but don’t dominate the conversation, and remember DON’T PITCH!

6. SUPPORT: Support reciprocates support! If you connect with entrepreneurs who sell products, BUY AN ITEM. Even if you don’t like the products, buy it anyway and give it to someone as a Christmas gift. If they sell a service that is out of your price range, or you feel you don’t have a use for it, simply support them by sharing their business pages on Facebook or Instagram. It’s even good to write a review for them. If you haven’t been their client and have no clue what service they are providing, then write a review about their personality! Customer Service brings business the same way that products and services do. I used to be frustrated with T-Mobile however, I never wanted to leave because their customer service was incredible. What you cause to happen to another will happen to you, its law (Karma aka Law of Cause and Effect). So, bring business to another and business has to come to you.

BONUS: BE OPEN TO SERVICE TRADES!!!! Put out your mind, RIGHT NOW, the idea that you will be giving away your services for free, because that is absolutely false. Service trades allowed me to get my websites completed, enjoy candles (which I absolutely love, love candles), get paid speaking engagements, and receive entry into coaching courses that catapulted me as a person and my business. All of which is valued at around $6000-$10,000!! And guess what? I STILL have those professionals in my network.

Some of my best friendships and connections have been from Facebook! My repeat clients are the ones I build connections with. When you do these 6 steps put “making money” out your mind and come straight from the HEART!

Mz. Maya J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Mz. Maya J

Mz. Maya J is an International an inspirational Speaker, Unconditional Self-Love & Voice Empowerment Coach, Author, Writer, blogger, and CEO, engaging audiences across the globe with education, self-love, empowerment, and transformation. Having earned the name “The PHOENIX” for her resilience. After overcoming losing her 10-month-old son due to an injustice done to her she found the healing magic of self-love to get him back, heal her pain, and start healing her kids. It was then that she knew she had to share its power with the world. She aspires to touch hearts and change lives. This mother of 3 is only 28 years old and she’s on a mission to change the lives of 1 billion people!