How to Connect With People in the DM’s Without Feeling Sleazy
You’ve probably realized that one of the most important things in business is building relationships. And when engaging with interesting people on social media, what better way to grow that relationship than through direct messages?
However, many people feel uncomfortable reaching out to people out of the blue, especially as online business owners as we don’t want to come across as sleazy.
In this blog post, I’ll walk you through some strategies to help you feel confident connecting with people in the DM's without feeling sleazy!
1) Connect with others for the right reasons
Your intentions matter!
Don't initiate a conversation or a DM with the goal of sharing your services or what you do… or worse, making a sale. If it comes up naturally, that's great, but starting with a pitch will not get you the results or response you likely hoped for.
We’ve all been there when you friend someone and their very first message is a spammy pitch for something or other. It’s unwanted and unwarranted, and sure doesn’t feel good
Instead, you’ll want to connect with people because you genuinely want to get to know them and, if you can, make a connection. People can tell when your intentions are genuine, and they'll be more likely to respond positively if they feel like you're just trying to be friendly.
Plus, by connecting with others for the right reasons, you'll form relationships that are built on trust.
2) Spread positivity and kindness
People love feeling good, and we could also use more positivity on social media. Try to focus on spreading kindness, posting genuine compliments, and being genuinely relatable.
Not only will this make others more likely to want to connect with you, but it will also help make social media a nicer place overall to be - and isn’t that a good goal in and of itself?
And who knows, maybe someone will return the favor by complimenting you back 😊
3) Don't be pushy or cold pitch
Cold pitching, when done right, can have its place - but not in the DM's. Direct messages should be reserved for relationship building, not pitching.
It's a major turnoff. The other person will likely feel like they're being used, and they’ll very likely not want to stick around to get to know more about you (or your work) if all you do is pitch them your services or products.
So instead of cold pitching, focus on building relationships first. Share kind words, ask questions about them, and be real.
4) Ask engaging questions
Most people love answering questions, and we all quite like talking about ourselves, so open up the conversation by showing genuine interest and asking questions. This is a great way to show that you care about what they have said and definitely helps build rapport.
Also, if you feel comfortable, don't be scared to share something personal! People relate best with other people when there's some level of vulnerability. So open up and get vulnerable for more genuine connections.
Final Thoughts
Do you struggle with building relationships on social media? If so, try using some of these tips to connect with people in the DM's without feeling sleazy. Not only will these help you build better relationships, but you'll also make new friends along the way!
When connecting with people on social media, it's good to remember that we should be doing it for the right reasons, and you'll see better results.
And if you freeze up when it comes time to write your follow-up and post-purchase emails, make sure to grab the Seamless Client Experience Bundle which includes 27+ take & tweak email templates perfect for service providers!
