Many professionals and business owners go about networking and building business relationships the wrong way. Passing out business cards and blindly pitching things or asking for favors from people you met only once is frustrating, impersonal and ineffective. If you’re guilty of doing just that, it’s time to build a better network of business contacts. One of the biggest mistakes professionals make in business relationships is reaching out to contacts only when they need something. So, how do you build maintain better business relationships?
Check out the following:
Ask for favors the right way
When reaching out to a business connection,it’s important to make it personal. Be sure to tell them why you’re coming to them specifically. For example, a statement like, I understand that you know a lot about this topic, and I was wondering if you can help me, can work well because people like to be recognized for their expertise and knowledge and are more likely to help you if you do so.
Get into a habit
Really successful salespeople train themselves to get in a habit of connecting and contacting people who don’t have an immediate need. Be a really good curator of content. Prioritize people and relationships based on your last date of contact. Social media makes the whole process much easier and quicker, so follow your contacts on Twitter and LinkedIn. A short comment can really go a long way and people appreciate it because it gives them an opportunityto engage.
Give people an out
Beyond telling a business connection what you’re asking for and why you’re specifically reaching out to them, it’s important to offer them an out, too. Giving them that out, rather than implying it, disarms people and gives them comfort. In other words, don’t be overly demanding, and give them a chance to pass the buck to someone else. Pressuring someone to respond or follow through with a favor won’t get you anywhere.
Reciprocate
One of the most frustrating things for sales people is dead silence. In other words, when you reach out to a contact and don’t get a response. This is likely because you don’t have the appropriate request at the appropriate time. Even if you don’t have the time to respond to something or deal with a request right away, make sure you find some way to reciprocate. It’s important that whether you’re a giver or a receiver in a particular instance that you remember what it’s like to be on the other side. Get back to thinking about it regularly, rather than thinking about it when you need something.
