Do you remember the good old days?
Go back to before 2007 and remember what your world was like. You may have been a PC or a Mac (you surely remember those commercials).
Either way, you had a computer, monitor, printer, CD or DVD ROM drive, and chances are, speakers, a digital camera, video camera, and more.
It was bulky and generally not too mobile. Laptops were an option, and Mac did have the all-in-one iMac, but the iPhone revolutionized the way we work.
So here is where I geek out… and 2007 was just the beginning. Technology has come a long way. The iPhones came with 4/8/16 gig of memory, and a 2-megapixel camera (a huge improvement over old flip phones). 15 years later, my iPhone 13 (still not the latest version) has 128 gigs of space and dual 12-megapixel cameras. I still have my iPhone 3 which I now use as an MP3 player. Remember those?
The iPod was released in 2001. It fit 1000 songs in your pocket. Now we have multiple 1000-song playlists that stream from the cloud.
Technological Revolution
Moore's Law is the philosophy that says “a given technology will double its power about every two years.” That makes sense if you look at just the memory in an iPhone. In 14 years (2007 to 2021) memory has exponentially grown (2/4/8/16/32/64/128 gig), and so has the power of processing chips.
More importantly, is what they can do today that they could not do back then. You now have a video camera that can do both high-quality video production and video chats (via FaceTime or Zoom). You have a calendar, phone/email/address book, a hard drive, calculator, weather station, web browser, and booking apps (think Uber and more) along with a phone and note-taking device. It's like an office full of paper, and hardware that fits in your pocket.
We can geek out about all the things we can do with it, but like the frog in boiling water metaphor, the heat keeps rising. What starts out as a warm bath can be deadly. Have you ever just escaped an accident because someone was looking at their phone?
Call me Captain Obvious, but all that technology can become numbing to what its intent was and still is, a tool to help us become more productive and do business better!
Personal Revolution
With all that we have been through the last 2+ years, I believe there is a second and more powerful revolution happening. It's all about building, growing, and maintaining personal connections.
People are finally feeling more comfortable about meeting face-to-face again. Conferences are going back to live from virtual. Coffee shops are thriving and new ones are popping up. Yet, people are just starting to get together in person again.
That same device that has all that technology also possesses the tools we need to maximize this opportunity. I want to focus today on five FREE things that you can do with your phone (and/or a laptop or desktop computer) that will help you thrive in your relationship challenges in 2023.
5 FREE Tools
Although you ultimately pay for these with the purchase of your cell phone or computer, once you have it, you generally don't have to pay monthly to use most of these in their basic form.
Calendar
Most of us schedule meetings with our calendars, but I suggest you do more than that. Use tasks or reminders to build good habits. An example of this is walking my dog, Layla. I schedule 1/2 hour in the morning and even for that walk. It's quiet time I can use to think, plan, and even come up with the topics I use in my blog posts and podcast episodes.
When you add something to your calendar, it not only creates a habit but blocks out the time. Then if you use notifications, your phone or computer will bug you to do it every day (or as often as you choose).
Are you using your FREE calendar to its fullest?
Contacts
When was the last time you looked at your contacts on your computer? How accurate is the information? How often do you use it?
I have talked about the 10-10-10 principle where I take 10 contacts, spend one minute each, and send them 10 words… “How are you doing? How can I help you today? You can do that or instead of ten words, just use that one minute to add, confirm, or delete contacts. Less is more. You can always organize them into groups as you prune your contact tree.
If you want to take it up a notch (not free) you can always employ a CRM (customer relationship manager) to up your game and take notes as you go. I use Nimble, and if you want to learn how to use it I will even give you a FREE Course!
Are you using your FREE Contact Manager to its fullest?
Meetings
Zoom offers a free version that allows you up to 40-minute personal meetings. iPhones and others have Facetime and other video chat options. I prefer Zoom since you can add a link to a calendar and send an invite to your contacts (blocking out the time),
Don't just do it for business. Catch up with friends, and reach out to people without an agenda or an objective. Remember, people are craving human contact. Just like the old Ma' Bell commercials… reach out and touch someone (digitally speaking).
Are you using your FREE meetings to build better relationships?
Maps
Living in a new city, I could not imagine what it was like before SIRI called out directions while I drive. I remember the old GPS (my car has a built-in one) but it would cost over $100 a year to update the maps to the most current. Phones update constantly, so you probably have the most current information at your fingertips. Maybe it's time to explore some new faces and places.
Go out and meet, network, or just have a coffee at a new place with friends.
Are you using your FREE Maps to meet people at new places?
Photos
The quality of photos is amazing on today's phones. When you are meeting or networking, be aware and proactive and take pictures, and selfies, or have someone take a group shot. We often miss opportunities by keeping our phones out of sight during meetings but find a quick and strategic way to capture the moment. You probably have gigs of room on your phone.
Those pictures can be shared on social media (tag with permission only) or just send a text with the picture to say thanks, and re-live the moments and conversations.
Are you using your FREE Photos to capture the moments and build relationships?
Final Thoughts
I know most of this is basic and common sense, but I know most will find at least one golden nugget or a positive nudge that can make or break your success in the coming year.
“Technology is nothing. What's important is that you have a faith in people, that they're basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they'll do wonderful things with them.”
– Steve Jobs
Comment below and share your thoughts, ideas, or questions about what FREE tools you use and how they help you improve your business relationships. Are you scheduling your time? Have you been updating your contacts? What other tips can you share with others?
To learn more about this and other topics on B2b Sales & Marketing, visit our podcast website at The Bacon Podcast
