I recently read a blog post by the brilliant Bernadette Jiwa. (If you haven't read her books or blogs, ya gotta.) This particular post reminisced about the days when business was done strictly in person... a handshake was a promise and their word was their bond. Business was personal because it was local— a customer knew right where to find you if something went awry with what you sold them.
The balance of power was even.
It would go something like this: I sell you a product or service, and you get your money's worth. If I go above and beyond, you'll tell your friends about it, and so on. It was simple. Good business was easy to expect because a seller had to answer for the quality of their product.
This makes online sales look and feel like a back-alley "deal" you didn't know you made.
Seller accountability rests squarely on the shoulders of the seller. The customer has little-to-no say in the matter, especially when their comments and feedback get cancelled.
The solution lies in the greatest challenge: infuse humanity into the exchange... honoring both theirs and yours. But the trick is, you as the business owner, have to go first.
It's you who sets the tone.
A quick interruption of this post to invite you to connect — by joining my weekly newsletter!
Every Sunday, I’ll share tips on conscious brand + business building for coaches and consultants; personal experiences, actionable takeaways (and maybe even a meditation or two!). You'll have access to me to ask direct questions, and I'll send a Loom response just for you. It's cute, give it a try.
Back to human-infusing...😄👇🏼
Does this make your stomach churn? If so, good! And, take heart— you're not alone in this. Doing business with just enough humanity to earn a glimmer of trust (and therefore a few dollars) has become mainstream... but it leaves us feeling empty and out of alignment.
Many Coaches find themselves terrified to set a human-to-human tone in their marketing because it implies unprofessionalism and uncertainty. So many are focused on building up the appearance of their persona and business to look bigger, better, more credible, more successful, more certain, more polished and professional than they feel on any given Tuesday.
This sets neither party up for success. If this is the boat you're in, it means you're stretching the truth to build trust— posturing to get what you want at the client's expense. So... the result here isn't trust, it's a facade of trust that's ultimately hollow.
If integrity is the glue that holds any relationship together, then what's built is never going to last if the glue is watered down.
This is the polar opposite of the kind of coaching relationship any coach I know would ever consciously create. So, why on earth do we do it? Let's all make an effort toward humanity, first.
If this rings true for you, reach out or even schedule a free consultation. It's never a bad time reach the people you were born to help.
Until next time...
XoXo—
Dana-
📷 : Toa Heftiba on Unsplash
