Remember letters? Those magical missives we used to get in the mail from a friend or a lover could make our day. We’d run to the post office in anticipation of receiving that heartfelt response to our declaration of love. We might even surreptitiously sniff the envelope on the off-chance it might be scented. Yes, letters were magical indeed.
And before our time, our grandparents took much care with their swirling penmanship that made each letter look like a copy of the Declaration of Independence.
The instant alternative to relationships
Today we have texting and sexting and instant messaging and Facebooking and Tweets because email is now considered too slow. That’s probably inevitable in an age where relationships are sometimes measured in days instead of years. But who can blame us?
I recently read that the average person is exposed to more knowledge in one week than our forebears saw in their entire lives. No wonder we want to “get on with it”. Who has time to slow down and absorb what we just got when we know that the next new thing is right around the corner?
This problem doesn’t just apply in affairs of the heart. It applies even more in the world of business relationships.
We talk about the importance of these relationships, yet the crazy conditions of our lives often prevent them from happening. We have too much to do, too much to learn, too much to show to take the time to create and nurture the relationship.
Are relationships even necessary?
Besides, maybe the relationship isn’t even important anymore. Maybe the only important thing is the value we bring to the table. And yes, that is extremely important. But what is it that gives you permission to set the table in the first place?
Consider what the relationship does. Because the relationship is based on “Trust”, there is less to prove in each encounter. You don’t need to defend ideas that, to a less-trusting partner, might appear a little crazy.
Because the relationship is based on “Like”, your partner in the transaction wants to trust you, so there is less resistance to moving forward with your recommendations. Your partner is more likely to appreciate your sense of humor, which keeps the situation friendly and business itself more of a joy than a “pulling teeth” affair.
Because the relationship is based on “Know”, your partner is less apt to misunderstand you, leading to greater understanding and more opportunities to take your client deeper.
Which brings us back to letters. Letters took time to write. The people who received those letters appreciated the time it took to write them. So is there anything in our modern world that speaks to your potential client with that same kind of power? You bet there is.
Why videos are the new Letter
Everyone appreciates the time it takes to make a video. And while it can actually be created in less time than it took to write this article, it is valued at a higher level than mere words, as well it should be. Since video communicates on a variety of levels, it can reach us in more ways than text, and in less time, since these layers of meaning all happen at once.
Indeed, we live in an age where everything seems to be happening at once. Video is the one medium of communication that not only creates multiple simultaneous layers of meaning, but slows down the relationship-building process to a human pace, since it takes place in time, making it more meaningful and more effective.
Relationship Video Marketing won’t make you a 7-figure income by next week. But as the foundation of your client relationship-building effort, it can do an awful lot.
It can reach into every level of your client communications and set the stage for healthy growth with great clients who value what you have to offer.