Summer Networking Time: One-On-One with Clients

Imagine yourself living in this post for a minute……You descend down a hillside overlooking a beautiful vista of farmland on a clear blue sky, 70 degree day with a subtle breeze blowing your hair wisps gently. The sound of deep, soothing chimes speckle the airwaves and birds hum all around. A crisp blue, clear pool lies in front of you with red geraniums adding contrast around it as you approach deck level still high above a glistening pond with apple trees budding to its back.

You are invited to sit down for a two hour conversation with someone who believes in you and your business dreams and considers you a friend as well as customer. The two hours start as a blank painting canvas ready to be drawn upon in whatever direction the conversation leads between the two of you. The experience might be like opening a Cracker Jack box where the sweet caramel popcorn and peanuts are expected by the visit but hidden deep inside is a prize ready to be delivered to you at the end.

This is what yesterday was for me as I began private poolside chats with my treasured members who want to visit me during my medical sabbatical and who I want to get to know better. I didn’t know if the conversations would be framed about business or their personal lives or how I could best serve them during this full time away from my work and their investment. I just wanted it to be easy and open and what they wanted it to be.

In the middle of the first morning chat, with a member named Val who is in a holistic trade with coaching and therapies, she unexpectedly massaged my feet with lavender to help promote healing. Her loving support and gentle touch were welcomed because I knew she wanted me to experience what she offers others in our organization if they work with her. I’m not sure I’ll ever smell lavender the same way after this loving exchange of womanly affection. As the chimes gently bonged from time to time, we were transported to a safe haven where women can talk freely about anything they desire, trust and support each other unconditionally.

My second visitor Rebecca arrived in time for afternoon snacks, chilled green iced tea with mint leaves and sweets. We sat under the tall umbrella table at the cooler side of the pool looking down past the aqua water to the pool house. Our natural conversation rippled with updates on her personal life, changes in her health that are altering her business in ways I relate with and a shared concern for mothers of children at the Mexican border. My guest has many close relationships with people from other countries and embraces diversity. Rebecca owns a unique gift and marketing product company women can use for clients and special occasions. The afternoon ended with a hug and promises to talk again before summer ended.

This blog post is to inspire you to schedule a two hour chat with someone you don’t know well in your business or personal world. Let it be a “one-on-one” experience, woman to woman, finding common ground and conversation to deepen your respect for each other and love for other women entrepreneurs. We are all in this life of “business ownership” to transport our clients from their pain, offer services they need and interact with them in trusting relationships. The social media marketing world will never be the place these types of true bonds are formed. They must be personal. We must become more personal with our approach to doing business.