This is a subject we’ve touched on multiple times on this blog. The reason for that is because it is of the utmost importance in all facets of life, not just business. We’ve talked about how to properly make a good first impression, telling the difference between confidence and cockiness, communicating effectively via social networking, the importance of communicating over marketing, and so many others. It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to fill this post with nothing but links to previous posts all talking about the importance of good communication. This alone should be proof positive of how important proper communication is. Rather than rehash old posts (although some old points will inevitably pop up again), today we’re going to expand on what’s already been said, and add a few new things as well. We’ll break this down into several sections.
Online Communication: This has never been more important than in today’s connected world. Often this will be your first contact with a prospective future business associate, so it’s important to, as we’ve said in the past, make the best first impression you possibly can. Your subject line is a great place to start. You want it to be attention grabbing, without coming across as spammy, lest your prospective associate decide without opening your e-mail that it’s spam and send it off for deletion. Once you’ve grabbed their attention and got them to read the content of your e-mail, this is where the real fun starts. Proper grammar and spelling are of the utmost importance here. A poorly worded e-mail full of spelling mistakes does not leave a good impression at all. You also want to be clear, concise, and exude confidence without coming across as cocky. Remember, you’re communicating with the person, not marketing to them. Try and structure your e-mails as a regular conversation rather than trying to sell them on something, and you’ll have far better luck. All of this applies to social networking sites as well. You want to be seen as a real person with a real idea, not some CSR shmuck who’s just trying to sell people on something. Be creative and attention grabbing, while maintaining the core tenants I’ve already outlined, and you should come out just fine.
Telephone Communication: As archaic as it sounds in a world of e-mails and text messages, people still actually make telephone calls. Shocking, I know. In many cases this is your second communication, and first chance to actually verbally speak with a potential associate. You may not have them completely on board with what you’re trying to do, so this is really sink or swim time. Now is the time to really get your hooks in. The important thing to remember here is to once again sound confident without sounding cocky, as being cocky really isn’t going to get you anywhere. Be excited, but not too excited. Over-excitement makes you sound like one of those very poorly paid actors in television commercials who are just so happy to be using a product they have absolutely no interest in whatsoever. The more sincerity in your voice, the better. Remember, confidence, excitement, and sincerity are by no means mutually exclusive. This trifecta should help put you in a position for the next bit of communication you’ll be doing, which is perhaps the most important of all.
Face-To-Face Communication: Alright, so you’ve spoken to a prospective client or associate via e-mail, and on the phone. Now is the time to meet in person. Time to put your game first on, as this is where you should (hopefully) be getting a final decision if you play your cards right. You really want to watch for body language here, as a person’s posture can tell you a lot about what they’re really thinking and feeling about what you’re saying. Perhaps more importantly is eye contact. While body language can be a dead giveaway if a person is interested or not, mastering the skill of reading what a person is feeling while looking into their eyes can tell you even more. Eye contact also shows that you’re interested in what they have to say. It may be uncomfortable to some, but try and maintain eye contact at all times. Between it and body language, you can gauge what a person really thinks about what you’re saying, and if that response is negative, it may be time to switch tactics. As always remember to be confident without being cocky, and remember that you’re communicating, not marketing. Try and treat this meeting as a regular conversation, rather than a pitch. If you do this right, you may just end up bringing a new person onboard, either as a new member of your team, or as a new client. Either outcome is definitely one in the win column.
This is by no means a definitive list, but these guidelines should definitely help you on your way to bringing new people into the fold, which should hopefully help to increase your Personal Independent Earnings.
