When I was an eager young businessman, just learning my craft, I was taught the Sales ABCs.

‘Always Be Closing’

It was good advice then. It is a good habit to let everything you say and do in your interactions with a prospect to drive you towards the goal of closing a deal.

However, thanks to the internet, there have been earth-shaking changes in how we purchase, our motivations for purchasing, and how often we purchase. We are bombarded with advertising every day of our lives. ‘Brand awareness’ has become embedded in our DNA.

‘Always Be Closing’ seems logical at first, but it will not make your unique selling proposition stand out.

There is a streamlined, dependable way for your business to be noticed, even in the crowded online world:

Always.

Be.

Connecting.

Your ability to forge a personal connection with your customer will determine your level of success.

Remember, no one wants to be ‘sold to’.

However, everyone wants to be ‘helped’.

Everyone wants to ‘make good decisions’.

Everyone wants to ‘have bought’, and be happy with what they buy.

 

Creating and nurturing a personal connection ensures that your name will be at the forefront of a customer’s mind when they need to make a purchasing decision.

 

Not Amazon. Not Ebay. Yours. And yes, thanks to the internet, you can compete at an astounding level, regardless of the size of your business.

I am thankful for the training and mentoring I received as I was starting out in business. It was invaluable. I just know that the philosophies that got us here may no longer be what is needed now to ensure our stability in the market. As the old saying goes, ‘The only constant is change’.

 

Have you developed your skill set in ‘connecting’ with people?

On a scale of 1-10, how easy is it for you to form a connection with a prospect that will make you memorable in their eyes?

Do you want to connect with others? Are you a people person?

Again, thanks to the internet, you do not have to be an extrovert—but you do have to make the effort.

 

Your network determines your net worth.

In the online age, the secret to standing out is simple:

The more you connect with your network, the greater your impact will be.

This week, ask yourself the question: ‘How can I avoid just sending out marketing messages, and actually connect with my customer base’?

Learn more about creating a connection with others here.