I was taught by my Dad, both of my parents, to look people in the eye when speaking to them… get to know who they are and what is important to them. Let me tell you a story.
I’m an older guy… 62 years old and I graduated college in 1980. Upon graduation I started my first job which was in sales. I got a call from my dad after my first week of work and he says, “So when’s your first meeting?”
He said, “Well, what time is the meeting?”
I said, “10:00.”
He said, “When are you gonna go there?”
I said, “I’ll probably get there about five to 10.”
He says, “No. Get there at 9:00. Walk around the neighborhood. Get to know what other businesses and restaurants are there. Get into the office. Find out what other companies are in the building. Try to get into the office of the person you’re meeting with and see what diplomas are on the wall, what photos are on the desk. Is he/she a father/mother, a grandfather/grandmother? Does she golf, does she fish? Does she ski? Where did she go to school? Find points of emotional connection where you can have a conversation with her/him other than business that’s important to him/her.”
Now, today you don’t have to get there an hour early. All this information is available digitally, but most of us aren’t bothering to use it… same as before, even with the complete ease of this research.
We’re worried about bringing people to our pages, instead of going and seeing all the information they’re offering us on theirs. I rarely get on a call, even with friends and associates without checking their pages first… and definitely when talking with someone I have not communicated with in a while.
My Dad’s advice was to make sure to do your research before you go in, after you meet, and regularly along the way. Now it’s as simple as a click of a button—and then bothering to read something and seeing how it relates to you and them. And don’t forget if you engage… the potential value can be unlimited.
My Dad taught me to never forget the people… and that advice will serve you well in business and your personal life. If you forget the people, you’re overlooking the most important part.
Look People in the Eye Digitally… because Relationships are like muscle tissue, the more you engage them, the stronger and more valuable they become.