Inexpensive Ways to Build Business Relationships

So what are some of the ways that you can build relationships that will lead either to business or business referrals? In this article, I will offer guidelines for relationship building and provide you with 47 ideas that you can put to use right away.

12 Guidelines For Relationship Building

1. Become a great listener. Commentary: If you want to succeed at building business relationships, try listening 80 percent of the time. Active listening is a great way to gain trust. It is the best way to find out how you can be helpful to potential clients and referral sources.

2. Be genuine. Commentary: If you are a strong believer in gun control, don't congratulate someone for the award they received from the National Rifle Association.

3. Follow up quickly. If you meet someone at a networking function and decide you want to get together with them, call or e-mail them within 24 hours to set something up. Commentary: Quick follow-up increases the chance that you will actually do it. It also increases the chances that the contact will remember you. Following up right away does not mean that you have to meet right away.

4. Don't get involved in activities that do not interest you. Doing things because you "should" will not work. If you don't like golf, don't play golf.

5. Avoid activities that do not feel comfortable or appropriate.

6. Relationship building takes time and cannot be rushed or forced.

7. Find out about people's interests by asking open-ended questions. For example: "What do you do for fun?" "Where are you going on vacation?" "What are you doing for the holidays?" or "What are you doing this weekend?"

8. If you meet someone in their office, you can get a lot of clues about their interests. Just look at what they have on their walls.

9. When reading articles, read with intention (Is there anyone I can forward this to? Is there anything in this article I can discuss with my clients or contacts?)

10. Find out ways to be helpful by asking: "What is keeping you up at night?"

11. Get in the habit of following up on small things right away. Timely thank-you notes are much more meaningful than cards that arrive three months after the fact.

12. While politics and religion can be very poor topics to discuss with a stranger, common political and religious beliefs can be a very strong source of connection. Commentary: the recent election is a good illustration of this.

By: Stephen E. Seckler