It takes dedication and hard work to build lasting business relationships. They are an integral part of success within a company. Building relationships with our employees and with our clients are equally important. Lasting business relationships just do not happen and develop without dedication and consistency. Here are 4 things you can do to build on your business relationships:
Authenticity Builds Trust
This is straightforward. Be yourself and accept others as they are. Building a false persona is easy, especially on social media, but starting a relationship in this manner will be short-lived. Find employees and organizations you feel a connection with and have things you both have in common that you feel could be beneficial to a mutual business relationship.
Define Shared Milestones and Morals
Seeking out people that share your goals and values is human nature. It is beneficial to have a well-defined list of company values that your client base can identify with and get a better understanding of how your company operates, on a professional and personal level. You must be able to respect one another. Mutual respect builds trust in one another and in your company. Shared point of views can be rather difficult, and you may not always see eye to eye but having shared values is a must.
Building Trust and Reliability
Trust and reliability are one of the most time-consuming aspects of building a relationship. Trust is built through the proof of shared activities and experiences. Reliability is our integrity and it means putting the day in, and day out, being there when trouble hits the fan, ready to help. It is like building credit, you must continue to pay to the proverbial trust bank, so your client knows that in an emergency or time of need you will be there to make sure their needs are met. Building trust and reliability are needed for growing any relationship. The results of pursuing trust and reliability will gain you the unending respect of your clients.
Follow Up
Make every effort to show loyalty. Your clients must know that you will always be there to have their back in a time of professional need, this goes far with employees as well. In a conversation, at networking events showing loyalty will quickly build up that relationship. Following up after a sale is key and can provide new opportunities for additional sales and relationship building opportunities.
Building relationships is a difficult, time-consuming task but the results gained from the time invested can yield more fruits for your business and community than any other skill in business. You can be the best manager on the planet but if you can’t manage relationships your profit margins will dull. Caring about your customer is key. Work with your customer service department and marketing managers to provide your client the tools they need to be successful.
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