District32 Is About Making Connections With Other Business Owners

….but can you form a real connection after just a brief chat?

If that is what you expect, then, believe me, you are short-changing yourself.

Today more than ever, business is about building strong relationships and making solid connections. In a group situation, most information is superficial. A short chat at a networking event is best used to set up a meeting and a relaxed conversation over a coffee.

This is where you have the time to get to know the other person and discover how you can help one another.

When you attend a networking event for the first time, you will be cautious, and rightly so. This brings us to the 4 stages of forming meaningful connections:

1. When you first meet someone, you emotionally protect yourself by sticking to facts in a conversation. This reduces your chance of getting hurt.

2. When rapport and trust are established, you feel safe enough to add emotion.

3. As you start to trust the person isn't out to get you, the barriers drop even lower. When you feel safe, you reveal your feelings, leaving you vulnerable.

At this stage, you are emotionally open to rejection or even ridicule.

4.The fourth stage leaves you fully exposed, yet it is by far the most meaningful. It is where real growth can occur. This requires an extremely high degree of trust because your defences are down. You have no protection. You are vulnerable and exposed.

So, establishing a good connection always starts with an exchange of information. What you do, your past, your goals and aspirations. As the relationship matures and you feel safe, feelings are revealed. The deeper the connection, the higher the trust - and trust is like gold.

A relationship may start with a brief chat, but you must meet for a private one-to-one conversation to create a better connection.

Are you just a sales target?

Do you know how to side-step being a telco sucker?