Touch points are important. I want to talk about the importance and impact of touch points. A lot of people overlook the idea of what a touch point is and why it’s necessary.
When you’re talking to men, especially, you have to understand that society is coming down on them in such a hard way. And when you’re trying to introduce new topics and new relationships, it’s often hard for them to make that leap into trusting others.
Watch the full Pop Talk:
The Importance and Impact of Touch Points with Marquess Dennis
Pop Talks are part of a series where various fatherhood and family leaders share insights for encouraging and equipping the followers of Fatherhood CoMission.
Touch points are opportunities that you get inside and outside the four walls in which you’ve met. So, for example, if you have a colleague that you work with, and you’re trying to get to know them or introduce them to a new thing, or you want to invite them to a new thing; it’s going to take a few, often five to six touch points, in order to connect.
Whenever you’re doing ministry or you’re connecting with people, you must set up opportunities for touch points. This could be running into each other at the supermarket, showing up at a game with your kids together, or going to a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. The point is, that you must be intentional about the touch points you create.
Touch points can also be things like a phone call or an intentional letter. It can be anything that builds trust. Many readers here are speakers from various ministries, when you’re speaking to someone, my favorite quote is, “Nobody cares what you know until they care how much you care.”
When you have these touch points and you set them up to where you’re being intentional about finding out what matters to the individual you’re trying to impact—when you say, “Hey I want to know about you.” And then you figure out ways to connect—whether it be a phone call or a thank you card. Those touch points go a long way in building trust.
Everything moves at the speed of trust. You can build trust by simply remembering a person’s name or being able to recall something important to that person. Then, you start asking intentional questions —these are all intentional touch points and they’re important for ministry and influence.
It doesn’t matter if you’re mentoring children, if you’re mentoring adults, or if you’re trying to be a good husband, listening and having intentional touch points will add value to the people with whom you come in contact. Your goal should be getting to the heart of the individual that you’re trying to impact and influence.
Go out of your way to create touch points. Sometimes, you’re the only Bible the other people will get to read. Consider the influence and impact you can make simply by being intentional.
Go out of your way to learn all you can about the individual. Learn how to spell their name correctly. Learn how to pronounce it properly. Find out their interests, and then remember them. Find out their future dreams and how you or someone you know can help them. These things are intentional touch points. All these things say, “Hey I’m listening to you… I heard you…and what you said or you as a person are valuable to me.”
If you want to increase your impact. If you want to be intentional about being an influencer in someone’s life—whether it’s your kids, your wife, or a stranger—take time to build rapport by creating intentional touch points. Let people know how valuable they are to you before they know what you have to say that is so valuable.
