Relationship Building #1
Relationship building is hard.
People have services they want to sell, but I find the best services are the ones you don't need to be sold but you seek.
Take a typical conversation on Linked In where someone you can only assume has your best interests at heart hits you with a message that trips all your triggers, compliments your unique view but quickly wants to get into your world to help you with problems they have no awareness of. That was my viewpoint in 2024 so with a new year birthed, I thought you know what. I won't leave these people unread I will respond to every one of them...
Tyler's thoughts: I thought the opener was decent as I posted about adaptability so it shows he looked at my profile, it gives a warmer approach, whether he read it or not is hard to say.
He wanted to connect and talk about being "agile" sounds good, I typically take some time during the holidays and wouldn't be asking to connect with anyone during this time, specially in a cold sales approach. I tried to respond in a prompt manner as traditionally these requests are ignored. My response was direct and polite but gives the impression I am busy catching up and finding my sea legs in the first week back.
Hitting me with a request to connect and book a call seems forced and a bit direct, it might be my millennial shyness or my innate high trait introverted personality but it was the catalyst to begin this journey.
As I begin the journey to become a TOP TIER business relationship coach in 2025, I began questioning using the curious why. Why is this person reaching out, why me, why now?
Comment below if I should tackle my fear of connecting and booking a call?
What do I say?
Relationship GPT Rating
Cringe Rating: 2/5
Analysis:
- Respect: The sender starts respectfully, acknowledges Tyler's post, and expresses interest in connecting. However, the quick follow-up with a call request might come off as slightly presumptive, especially since Tyler's response was minimal.
- Integrity: The intent seems genuine, but requesting a call so early in the interaction could feel rushed or transactional to Tyler, who hasn't had a chance to establish rapport.
- Empathy: While the sender makes an effort to personalize the initial outreach and thank Tyler, the jump to requesting a call may not fully consider Tyler's comfort level or schedule.
Key Issues:
- The leap from a casual connection to requesting a call may feel abrupt.
- Tyler's one-word response ("Thanks") suggests minimal engagement, which should guide a softer approach.
- The phrase "to know about each other and our works" is slightly awkward and could be phrased more naturally.
Improvement Suggestions:
- Give the connection more time to breathe before requesting a call.
- Phrase the call request more thoughtfully, offering flexibility or an alternative way to connect (e.g., exchanging insights via LinkedIn messages first).
- Acknowledge Tyler’s one-word response and respond with a light, non-pushy follow-up.
Revised Version:
"You're welcome, Tyler! I'm really looking forward to staying connected. If you're open to it, I'd love to learn more about your work and share a bit about mine sometime—no rush, whenever it's convenient for you. Let me know what works best!"
Professional Tip:
Networking is like planting seeds—it’s about nurturing relationships over time, not harvesting right away. Start with meaningful, low-pressure interactions to build trust before diving into calls or meetings.