Stop Trying to Impress People and Start Building Real Connections

✍️ By Debbie Balfour | WBN News | December 30, 2025 | Click HERE for your FREE Subscription to WBN News and/or to be a Contributor.

Most people walk into networking events with one goal: impress someone. They rehearse their elevator pitch. They polish their introduction. They hope they sound confident, successful, and credible. But here’s the truth every successful investor eventually learns: you don’t win people over by impressing them. You win them by connecting with them. Trying to impress creates pressure. Trying to connect creates opportunity.

Impressing Is About You. Connecting Is About Them.

When you show up trying to prove yourself, your energy becomes guarded. You talk more than you listen. You push instead of relate. You perform instead of connecting. But when you shift your focus to genuine curiosity, when you ask about them, their story, their passion, their goals, everything changes. The conversation opens up. You relax. They relax. Trust builds naturally. Real connection outperforms forced confidence every single time.

The Power of Human-First Conversations

People want to feel seen, heard, and valued. They want to talk about what matters to them. They want to connect with someone who gets it. When you lead with simple, connection-building questions, the conversation becomes effortless:

• “What inspired you to do what you do?”
• “What’s lighting you up in your business right now?”
• “What kind of people do you enjoy collaborating with?”

These questions instantly move you beyond surface-level small talk and into real, meaningful dialogue.

Connection Builds Trust and Trust Creates Opportunity

Deals don’t happen because you dazzled someone. Private lenders don’t partner because you sounded impressive. Investors don’t collaborate because you delivered a perfect pitch. They say yes because they trust you. And trust is built through relationship, not performance.

The Secret: Be Real. Be Curious. Be Human.

When you stop trying to impress, you permit yourself to be authentic.
When you permit yourself to be authentic, you permit others to relax.
And that’s when the right people open up, lean in, and remember you. Forget the performance. Lead with curiosity. Build real connections, because real connections are what build a real business.

Debbie Balfour | Real Estate Investing Success Coach + Podcast Host
📍 Website: www.DebbieBalfour.com
📧 Email: Debbie@DebbieBalfour.com
🔗 LinkedIn: Debbie Balfour
▶️ YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@DebbieBalfour

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TAGS: #Networking Tips #Real Connections #Build Trust #Real Estate Investing #Relationship Marketing #Success Mindset #WBN News Langley #WBN News Abbotsford #WBN News Okanagan #Debbie Balfour