WHEN ENGAGEMENT ISN'T ENGAGING

Engagement isn't about the transactions, but the transactions - the interactions between me and you - will make or break it. Here are three types that will break it:

1. Interactions that require me to do things with no apparent value. The value may be apparent to you, but if it's not obvious to me then at least explain it. Because if I don't see the value then the interaction is just making my life more complicated. We all crave simplicity and we distrust more complicated.
2. Interactions that keep me from doing the useful thing I wanted you to help me with or, even worse, the useful thing you promised you would help me with. Jumping through hoops should only happen in the circus, and even then it is voluntary.
3. Interactions that leave me in the dark rather than building understanding. We all like to learn and discover and understand. We never like to feel stupid.

The interactions you offer should do the opposite of these things - offer me something of value (whether that's a product or a service or a relationship or a voice), make my life simpler or help me understand. Whatever your thing is, it probably promises to do at least one of these. Nothing about my relationship with you should undermine that.