Hey, Reader,
Last week, I walked into my very first AmSpirit meeting.
And if you don't know what AmSpirit is...
(Thank you, Google.)
And somewhere during that meeting, I had this thoughtâŚ
This is basically LinkedInâŚin real life. đ
Before anyone gave a report or shared an update, they introduced themselves.
- Their name.
- Who they help.
- What they do.
There was a mix of providers in the room...roofers, window installers, a professional organizer, and financial advisors...just to name a few.
And they didnât just introduce themselves once...
They repeated it a few more times throughout the meeting.
And it made me think about LinkedIn (and, honestly, marketing overall), where the magic lies in clear, consistent repetitionâŚ
You canât assume people know what you do just because youâve told them before.
Your customers and clients need to hear it repeatedly before it sticks.
And in this hour and 15 minutes together, almost every time someone started speaking, they announced their business and what they do.
It was hard to ignore!
What I also found interesting was the "passing of the bucket" at the end of the meeting.
Members are encouraged to give referrals by writing down the names of people they know who might need the services of someone else in the group.
And by "encouraged," I mean there's a one-pager everyone gets at the start of the meeting that clearly shows the number of referrals each person is giving...and how many they're getting.
But even better...the referrals are supposed to be WARM.
Meaning...the person on the other end already knows youâll be reaching out to talk about your roofing or financial advising services, for example.
No random cold pitch from someone they've never heard of. (Or at least thatâs the intent!)
But the biggest similarity of all between AmSpirit and LinkedInâŚ
It's about relationships.
You could feel this the moment I started interacting with others.
Members are encouraged to have two lunches a month with other members.
Not to immediately sell something.
To actually get to know the person.
What do they do? Who do they help? What are they working toward? Where might you be able to help each other?
This immediately made me think of the coffee chats...or off-platform and in-person meetings I have with people I meet on LinkedIn.
The point is to show up curious, wanting to learn more about the person sitting across from you.
And that's where more of the real-life details come out...
What life is like as a parent. Where you love to grab coffee. The vacation you just took.
It's those details that start to make you more relatable...and memorable.
And the final piece that was impossible to ignore?
Their attendance policy.
AmSpirit meets every week, and attendance is fully expected. They keep track! And they don't want you missing more than 2 meetings in a row for the quarter.
Which got me thinking...
First, "Whoa, these people are serious!" đ
And then...
Relationships donât tend to grow when you show up only when you feel like it.
If I'm being honest, I told my husband this week that I'm a little burned out on coffee chats lately.
But I also know they're valuable.
And sometimes, showing up when you don't necessarily feel like it is part of building those relationships.
Which, again, made me think of LinkedIn.
Showing up regularly is what helps keep you top-of-mind when the need for what you do eventually arises.
Last week gave me a chance to get out of my regular routine and meet some new faces. (Sorry...no photos!)
And what was really cool?
I even met a woman who had been in the audience at one of my speaking events just last monthâŚand she shared with the group how helpful sheâd found it.
Talk about a small world. â¤ď¸ And a serious mood-booster I never saw coming!
Sometimes we talk about âonline networkingâ and âreal-life networkingâ (again, connecting is my go-to mindset reframe) as if theyâre two completely different things.
But Iâm not sure they really are.
The platform or setting may change.
But the way you build a real relationship with real people shouldnât.
So hereâs what Iâd try this week:
- Reintroduce yourself to your network. Even if you feel like youâve said it all before. Make it clear what you do and how you help in a post that tells a story about you. (Feel free to tag me in that post on LinkedIn so I can support you!)
- Comment on 8 posts like you actually mean it. Not just âGreat post!â Add something insightful or share a valuable experience.
- Instead of pitching the next person who views your profile, ask them one genuine question first. One of my favorites is, âWhat are you honestly enjoying this week?â (Right after I thank them for checking out my profile!)
Small, repeatable, intentional actions.
Thatâs usually what works when it comes to connecting with others.
P.S. Speaking of showing up consistently for the people you serveâŚ
I have 2 spots open right now for organizations or individuals who need someone to own their marketing month-to-month. This is an opportunity to completely take the work off your plate (socials, outreach, emails, website, and more).
If thatâs you, or someone in your network who keeps saying, âI know I should be doing more to market myself, I just donât have the time,â reply to this email.
P.S.S. If AmSpirit taught me anything, itâs that a warm introduction beats a cold pitch every time. So if you know someone whoâd be a good fit for one of these spots, I would love to meet them through you:)
Talk soon,
Allison Ditmer
Find me mostly on LinkedInâ
Watch my YouTube and motivate me to make more videos:)
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Columbus, OH