5 Ways To Grow A Stronger Connection With Your Audience

Taking Off The “Mask” In Business

I didn’t intend to have a specialty in my consulting business, but through the years working with clients I’ve realized that I was most aligned with the clients who had a strong mission.

They want to have an impact on the world and I support their approach to business.

In my previous businesses, I felt the same way. I wanted to be excited and express myself through the business.

When I can help entrepreneurs find what excites them the most in business they can completely transform. It’s really about allowing them to step into more of who they truly are.

Typically, a big issue that comes up with my clients is that they are perfectionists.

For many of them, the idea of being their authentic selves is really scary. They have a massive fear of being polarizing and not being liked by other people. A lot of this fear stems from an insecurity of not being good enough. This is a total myth.

The whole point of being yourself is to filter out the people who aren’t a good fit to work with you and attract the people who are.

Realizing that you’re not going to be liked by everybody is a hard pill for some people to swallow. It was tough for me when entering into the business world!

I was fairly young when I started my business and I felt vulnerable especially as a woman in a male-dominated industry.

At first, I wanted to shape my personality so I would be liked by everybody I met, but putting on a “front” is way too much work. It’s a huge energetic cost!

Now I’m totally myself and I let my work and my brand speak my values for me.

The early days of the internet are over. Now every market is saturated. Does that mean it’s impossible for newcomers to break through?

Of course not. But you will have to differentiate yourself and become memorable to your audience. Whenever you can show people who you are on the inside and get them to resonate with that message you’ll be able to connect.

That’s the whole name of the game. It’s not good enough to be just talking at people, you need to actually reach them.

I created this construct I call the Pyramid Of Connection to describe how your content marketing is working on each level of connection.

Level 1 – Text-Based Content
The text goes on the base of the pyramid because most people can do it. This means all online text-based content like social media, blog posts, emails. You could write all your text-based content from your phone if you wanted and no one would know. With text sometimes things get lost in translation, it’s also the least amount of connection compared to the other levels.

Level 2 – Audio Based Content
This is anything audio based. It can be the audio version of a blog post or a podcast, things like that. This is relatively easy to create as well because all you need is a quality microphone and a quiet room. It’s a greater level of connection when compared to text because the listener gets to hear your real voice. They will be able to pick up on the inflection in your voice, your pace, and the rhythm in which you speak, this means they’ll get your emotional state and that adds an entirely new level to the information you’re putting out there.

Level 3 – Pre-Recorded Video
These are all videos that go on platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, branded videos, anything recorded ahead of time. As you go higher up in levels there are fewer people willing to put out content at that level. A lot of people are afraid to get onto video, it’s a massive fear barrier. The people who are able to get over that hurdle are opening themselves up to a much greater level of connection with their audiences.

Level 4 – Live Video
These are live streams, live webinars, group calls on Zoom, etc. This creates a really deep level of connection and even fewer people are doing it. A lot of people are afraid to say the wrong thing or feel awkward, all that stuff. You can’t edit anything out in a live video so your audience gets to see how you react to things in real life. It’s very telling about your personality and much more transparent. People are tired of buying from faceless brands, they want to deal with real people.

Level 5 – In Person
This is the top of the pyramid, in person always creates the deepest levels of connection. This could be at a live event, seminar, meetup, any event where your audience can interact with you face-to-face in someway without a screen in between. Here the audience can see your body language, your energy, they’re getting the whole package. This is why some people can convert half the room and sell $100,000’s from the stage.

My recommendation is, that once you understand the Pyramid of Connection, challenge yourself and your marketing to go up at least a level in terms of your content marketing mix.

If you’re only doing text-based content try some audio or video content. Maybe try doing a live Zoom call.

 

Action Steps

1. Be authentic with who you are and what you stand for in your business. Don’t put on a mask to hide your true self.
2. Accept the fact that you nor your business are right for everybody and no matter what some people will not be a good fit for you.
3. Look at your content and see where it falls on the Pyramid of Connection.
4. Challenge yourself to create new content that raises you up at least one level of connection.

 

Result You Will Achieve

A stronger connection with your audience and knowledge of how to grow that connection by going up a level in the pyramid.
 

 
This article is based on an EHQ interview with the mentor.