If you’re reading this post, I want to talk to you!
Authentic connections are vital to me in my work. I have no interest in sitting down to do a reading with someone where all that matters is getting paid for my time and lip service. If that’s what a customer wants, they should get a fortune cookie because it’s a lot less expensive than a reading with me and is its own delicious snack. What I crave, those authentic connections, is a meeting of our souls.
I was taking a look at my followers on a popular social media website this weekend and noticed someone who had started following me had posted some thoughts or shared posts from other people that had some views that I don’t hold or even condone. How could I have made an authentic connection with someone whose words showed such a different perspective from my own? Is this the point of view I want my business to be connected, even tenuously, to in the minds of others?
If someone follows me on Instagram or Twitter, I’d like to follow them back so that we can engage on multiple levels. However, I can’t just hit a subscribe button without knowing a bit about them. That’s not an authentic connection, it’s a bit of code that ties our names together on the internet.
Walking my talk…
Saying I want authentic connections isn’t enough, I need to put that desire into action. I don’t want to simply attract people who follow anyone, I want to both attract those who resonate with my energy and repel those who don’t. This is a luxury I’m aware others can’t necessarily afford to have, but this is important to me so I’ll do my best.
What I’m asking of people who follow me is twofold:
- What things are included in pages or profiles for businesses/personalities that make you feel comfortable following and supporting them publicly? Is it enough to have emojis in a bio? Are there posts you’d like to see? Do they have pictures from events where they’ve supported a cause at fundraisers? What kind of content sparks your desire to make authentic connections with a business?
- Conversely, are there red flags that it’s a business you don’t want to give your money? Is there language in their writing that turns you off? And what makes a business look like it’s trying too hard to tick too many boxes? Do too many causes make it look performative and insincere? Does too much diversity of issues make you worry that the passion is diluted?
My plan going forward
Any insights that readers can give me would be very helpful! I want to do good in the world and I don’t believe that it can be achieved by allowing bigotry and hatred to be fed. If authentic connections can be forged between people who are willing to put in the effort, we can make it happen!
If your input on authentic connections is something you’d rather not have immortalized on a blog until the fall of the internet, you can reach out by email or on any platforms you see listed below. Thanks so much for reading this post and I hope to hear from you soon.
EsotericErin 