Have you ever been to a party where you knew no one?
And then like an angel, an old friend pops up with a big smile.
Suddenly you feel relieved.
Suddenly the anxiety-factor washes off you and you start to relax.
That friend is simply acting as guide
She shows you around the place.
She introduces you to others.
She makes you feel welcome.
You actually start to have a good time and enjoy yourself.
But what if that friend hadn’t shown up at that moment?
You would have looked around cagily.
Others at the party would look at you briefly over their margaritas and pinacoladas, and gone back to talking to their own friends.
You’d instantly feel isolated.
Even intimidated to some extent.
To avoid this situation you must have these core principles:
1) Create a welcoming zone.
2) Reduce intimidation, fear and frustration of being in an unfamiliar environment.
3) Isolate actions to ensure consumption.
Step 1: Create a Welcoming Zone.
Like the party, all members need to get a warm welcome. And someone to show the visitors around.
This simple act dramatically reduces intimidation.
Step 2: Reduce intimidation, fear and frustration of being in an unfamiliar environment.
It doesn’t matter how warm your welcome, there’s still a factor of fear and frustration, because of dealing with unfamiliar situations.
Not only are visitors not sure if they want to ask a question…But they aren’t sure if their question won’t appear foolish. And they’re not sure who’s going to answer the question.
What if no one answers the questions? A million thoughts run through a visitor’s head. And these thoughts are normal for everyone, because no matter how bold you are in your own environment, you aren’t quite sure what to do when getting to another environment.
So having someone who can answer your questions; give you specific instructions; lead you through the labryinth of information, makes a newcomer confident.
And you know you’re dealing with someone who’s willing to hear you out.
But most importantly, you don’t feel like you’ll make a fool of yourself in front of everyone.
Step 3: Isolate actions to ensure consumption
If you go to a party, and you’re introduced to everyone, then you suddenly can’t seem to remember anyone’s name. But if you’re introduced to one person, then you can talk to that person one on one. And you actually get a conversation going.
This concept is used to ensure one action. So get a visitor to do one thing. And then report back. Both the action and the reporting back is critical.
