I’m a huge fan of technology. Without it, my business would be in a much different place than it is now. However, over-reliance on it can be a trap that puts you out of touch with your customers and can prevent you from building relationships that will help you get better at what you do and help you build a strong network and community.

To set you and your business up for success, and make sure you don’t fall victim to technology’s downfalls, you’ll need the following traits.

1. Systems to manage technology and chaos

In short, business systems allow your business to run without you. I cannot emphasize enough how important systems are for your organization. Putting systems in place helps you gain more clarity, control, confidence and customers for your business. When you develop systems, start with the outcome in mind and work backwards from there.

Many businesses don’t make system development a priority which is a mistake. Putting systems in place will allow your organization to be more:

• Efficient
• Effective
• Agile
• Consistent

Document your systems and continue to test them over time to perfect your processes. When you manage the chaos with systems, you can focus on the human side of your company, which will help to establish an emotional connection with your audience, and the more an audience feels emotionally connected to you, the more likely they’ll be to buy from you.

2. Human connection to manage the coldness of technology

One of the greatest things about technology is that it can make us more efficient, however, it can also allow us to automate interactions. When we get so good at delivering our customer interactions, without any actual human interaction, we start to lose valuable relationships with people, which is not OK and not good for your business.

To ensure this doesn’t happen to you, let your systems manage your technology and basic interactions so that you can focus on the human connections that matter. Forgot how to do that? Here are a few tips to not only reignite the human connections but grow your business as well.

Interact with your peers and customers

I love the idea of community (if you want a good book recommendation about community, I recommend reading Tribe), which is why I’m so big on building networks, and why I built the Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network. Interacting and learning from your peers is invaluable.

Let’s face it, while the digital space can keep people connected, nothing replaces the value of meeting people face to face. Talk to your customers, meet with strategic partners, and become a mentor. It’s amazing how beneficial this is for yourself and your company.

Additionally, the more you interact with others, the more likely you are to build up your referral network, which as many know, can be extremely valuable in growing your business.

Another way I like to establish the human connection is by conducting results reviews for my clients. It’s a great way for you to build trust and rapport with them, while also showing what a great job you did for their business (because you did do a good job for them, right?). Getting these types of appointments on the calendar is an effortless way to stay connected.

What’s my favorite reason to establish a human connection you may ask? Just because. Going out of your way to be human with your peers and customers is often not forgotten and will go a long way in establishing a reputation within your industry.

Get out of the office

Even if you don’t meet with another person, it’s important to step away from your computer and completely disconnect from technology. If you follow me on social media, you know I’m a big outdoorsman. Stepping outside of my office walls often leads to my most genius ideas and gives me room to think creatively and strategically. Changing your location can give you new insights that are often difficult to come by in your office chair.

Systems make your business more human because it gives you time to be human. While B2B and B2c certainly aren’t things of the past, it’s time for businesses to make room for H2H, or human-to-human connections. To get to H2H faster, get your systems in place, and enjoy the smooth sailing from there.

How have the systems you set up made your business more human? I’d love to hear!

If you liked this post, check out our Guide to Building a Small Business Marketing Consulting Practice.