Hi everyone! I love picking up little concepts here and there when I read or skim through magazines or catch snippets on news channels. Last night i was reading a Woman’s World magazine and there was a tiny section that stuck out to me and I wanted to share it with you because as online entrepreneurs, connecting with our customers is sometimes harder than a brick and mortar business.

This article was about the 4 H rule of thumb and when I read it, it immediately reminded me of how I like to connect with you guys. Then it hit me that so many of you have trouble opening up and making that leap from private person to open person online – with strangers, no less!

In the article, they talk about things like having spinach in your teeth (what if that happened on a webinar, for example?). You’d feel like dying – like closing down your browser and never showing your face again.

Be Honest.

The honest truth is – that happens to just about everyone at some time or another. Or if not spinach, then something else. Some other form of humiliation. I’m not the first one to cry on a video. Maybe on a webinar, but I doubt it!And even if I was, honestly – it’s not the end of the world.

We tend to exaggerate our embarrassing moments or things when really, nobody else cares. We’re magnifying it – it’s almost egotistical of us to think we’re so important that it’s going to make headline news.

Be Humble.

One thing I love about my mentor is his humble attitude. He has a mindset of serving others. He doesn’t sit there and brag to the point it’s like rubbing it in your face. Think about that for a second.

Bet you don’t even have enough fingers to count how many of those gurus brag in a way that isn’t motivational like, “I did this and you can, too!” No, they do it in more of a way like, “I’m superior – I make tons of cash and you wish you were me.”

I get it – they’re appealing to those people who like to be part of the “in crowd,” but to me, it’s just pathetic. As a grown adult – it just reeks of immaturity to me.

Be Human.

Online, your #1 goal is gaining your audience’s trust. If they can’t trust you, they won’t respect you, buy from you, or share your products with others.

How do you gain trust? Vulnerability. Openness. Humanness. You have to show you’re not some made up persona. You’re not an automated business in a box with no real person at the helm.

Humans – what are they made up of?

Emotions. Flaws. You can’t just project the perfect Stepford Housewives type personality and expect people to trust you. They need to see what all you’re made up of. So it’s okay to show anger, fear, frustration, happiness, and errors that you make along the way.

Be Humorous.

You don’t have to be a comedian here – I’m certainly not. In fact, my husband always makes fun of me because I entertain myself. I’m what’s known as a dork. I laugh at stupid things. I’m not afraid to be silly.

I know that when I see Bonnie laugh on her videos, a smile creeps across MY face. I know that when Victoria danced in her seat at the end of her 30 day vlog challenge, I was grinning ear to ear.

Be silly. Life’s too damn stuffy. Too many people hate everything about life, are always pissy and sorrowful. We need to lighten up a enjoy things a bit!

In the article, they talk about how this lady was at work when he skirt fell down. What’d she do? She came to work the next day with a name tag that said, “Yes, I’m the girl whose skirt fell down.” Everybody laughed.

When you initiate the joke and everyone’s laughing WITH you, it builds a connection. So if you have a flaw, roll with it.

Think about my nose twitch. When someone pointed it out, what if I’d never vlogged again out of embarrassment?  That’d be a shame. But no, I laughed about it – still do – it’s funny! I get stressed out, I crinkle my nose!

Count Von Count appeared in the comments to count my twitches. It was all of us giggling about it.

So remember the 4 H rule whenever you’re working on building a connection with your audience. Ask yourself if you’ve been open and honest. Are you ashamed of the truth? Why? The people you’re trying to reach will respond to your honesty and humble ability to show your true journey.

Tiff

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