John Maxwell on Websites: Communicating vs. Connecting

In his book, Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, leadership guru John Maxwell talks about the difference between communicating with people and actually connecting with them at a deeper level. While reading this book, I found that many of the strategies he uses for connecting with others in social interactions and speaking engagements can be used for ministry and church websites.

In this series, I'll provide a few points from chapters I find relatable to creating a ministry website that connects to its visitors. Before we get there, first we must know what role the Web plays in connecting with others, what connecting is exactly, and why its so important.

What role does the web play in connecting?

How John Maxwell uses the Web to connect

While Maxwell was writing Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, he posted the manuscript on his blog, JohnMaxwellonLeadership.com, and encouraged feedback from his readers. The response was a remarkable example of connecting with others.

The manuscript received more than 100,000 views, and Maxwell made nearly 100 changes based on people's comments and included many quotes and stories in the final book. He even asked those who commented to send him their photos, which he displayed on the book's cover.

By including their pictures on the cover and their stories in the book, Maxwell showed these people he values their input and probably won over others who heard about it. Think about how many more people will by his book, visit his blog, and become better leaders and connectors.

Maxwell continues to blog and use social media to add value to others and improve his ability to connect with others. If he can do it by utilizing the Web, you can, too.

What is connecting?

"Connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them." (pg. 3)

Have you ever tuned out during a speech or sermon? It was because the speaker didn't connect with you. Either his energy level was too low to engage you, the topic was not applicable to your life, or the drone of his voice caused your eyelids to droop. He was speaking, but you were not listening. He was communicating, but not connecting.

This can happen in any daily interaction. You flip the radio dial, change the channel, rush through a conversation, or jump to another website, all because you were not connected. You can see how it is important to make the extra effort to connect with everyone who visits your website. If you don't, they will go somewhere else. The good news? Everyone has the ability to connect!

How do I know if I've connected with others?

When you can see some of the following things from those who visit your website, you know you've connected with them.*

• Unsolicited appreciation--they say positive things
• Unguarded openness--they demonstrate trust
• Increased communication--they express themselves more readily
• Enjoyable experiences--they feel good about what they're doing
• Emotional bondness--they display a connection on an emotional level

Why is connecting important?

"We are bombarded with thirty-five thousand messages a day ... e-mails ... Twitter, Facebook, and blogs ... Everybody talks. The question is, how can you make your words count." (pg. 1)

Because of people's short attention spans and the overwhelming amount of information available today, connecting with your website's visitors is both increasingly more important and more difficult. It's obvious that more connections with your website users could result in more visitors to your church or more involvement in your ministry. But it can also help you make a bigger impact than just increased numbers.

Connecting makes you an effective leader

If you want your website to make a difference in the name of Christ, it will have to lead others into doing so. Think of all the great leaders that have made a difference in your life. They all display similar characteristics that require connecting with others.**

They include:

• Vision--describe where you are going
• Consensus--persuade others to come along with you
• Charisma--connect at a personal level
• Trust--demonstrate credibility

You can show all these characteristics through the content on your website, the conviction of your blog, and the passion in your podcasts.

Connecting helps you build relationships

"The ability to connect with others begins with understanding the value of people." (pg. 15)

Building a relationship with the people who use your website is important if you want them to keep coming back and to become more involved with your ministry. We previously explored the idea that your website is a conversation with those who visit, and the ultimate goal of this conversation is to develop a deep, intimate dialogue. The key to making this conversation one of depth is by connecting with your visitors by first realizing how important they are and by showing you value them.

Connecting increases your influence

"Because the ability to communicate and connect with others is a major determining factor in reaching your potential." (pg. 3)

If you're desire is to become a source of influence for Christ in your community and its people, you must connect. If your website fails to connect with its visitors, your message will not reach the amount of people it could. Increasing your energies into connecting increases your ministry's potential reach.