At HeartCore Business, we know: Connection is currency.
The absolute best way to grow your business is to create a connection with your audience members so they can become your raving fans—a tribe of people who will help you create a movement.
As an entrepreneur, you should be constantly on the lookout for ways to build deeper relationships with your audience.
If you find that people aren’t listening to you, then you don’t have enough influence. And the best way to create influence is to connect with people.
The key to creating the kind of deep, meaningful connection that will grow your business: give extraordinarily.
This means giving of yourself so your fans can make a conscious decision to stick with you (and everybody else can walk away!).
Here are four ways to give extraordinarily.
1. Give to charity.
It may mean announcing that you’re going to donate all the proceeds you make for a certain time period—a day, a week, or a month—to a certain charity.
This creates a connection because the members of your community feel like they can relate to you, like they’re working alongside you to help this cause, to make a difference in the world.
2. Share YOU.
Giving extraordinarily may mean getting vulnerable with your audience and sharing something you might not typically share.
This takes courage!
When you get vulnerable, you become real, instantly—because you’re sharing true things that may not put you in the best light.
A quick note, here: “getting vulnerable” does not mean processing through a traumatic event with your audience. It means sharing a story or a feeling.
When you start talking openly—whether it’s on a Facebook Live or through email, you’re going to find that you create raving fans—and complete haters, too.
Vulnerability creates connection with your ideal clients. It may turn other people off—and that’s okay, too. They’re not your ideal clients.
(Bonus tip: develop a thick skin. It still hurts when people criticize you!)
3. Rant!
Consider giving by ranting. This is you, sharing your unedited feelings about a certain topic. Let yourself flow.
You’ll get raving fans, and again, you’ll also get people who can’t stand you.
Doing a rant can be risky. Typically, rants carry anger. So while you may alienate certain people by doing a rant, you’ll also gain raving fans who agree with your rant.
4. Share content.
Use holidays or current events as a structure for sharing helpful content. For example, around Valentine’s Day, you could send out an email about how to connect with people.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an expert in relationships; just share what you know about creating connection. During the holiday season, you may share your tips for giving.
A quick Internet search will reveal there are countless “holidays” throughout the year: Women’s Day, Female Entrepreneur Day, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Autism Awareness Month, Earth Day … look for ways you could tie these in with your expertise.
In conclusion …
When you give extraordinarily, you open the space for people to make a clear decision about whether they want to remain a part of your community, or not.
If they do, then your connection with them is stronger than ever … and they become raving fans.
There’s a business philosophy that says you need only 1,000 raving fans to create a thriving company.
