Build Better Business Relationships
Do some of your goals include success at work or increasing your income? If so, consider that one of the steps toward that goal will be to build better business relationships.
Regardless of your work place or the nature of your work, you cannot succeed without relying on other people. This may include co-workers or bosses if you are employed, or colleagues, customers or vendors if you are self employed. Give some of your time and attention to building relationships with these people, and your bottom line will grow.
Here are some tips to help you accomplish better business relationships:
- Make your integrity obvious to whoever you are dealing with. This means keeping your word. Show up when you are supposed to. And if you promise to deliver, then do it without exception. Your actions will determine who you are in the eyes of the people who work with you, not what you say about yourself.
- If something goes wrong and you can’t deliver, then communicate directly and clearly, taking responsibility without excuse making. Explain what went wrong and what you intend to do to fix the problem. Provide a new deadline and then keep your word. You may add some additional benefit to the person if that is appropriate.
- Think about how you can add value to the persons in your network. Focus on over-delivering on what they may be expecting. Don’t be afraid to go beyond the basics of your agreement.
- Practice good basic relationship skills. Make good eye contact, shake hands firmly, be friendly. Learn something about the other person’s interests, important relationships and concerns. Listen more than you talk, and share appropriately in a reciprocal way when they return your interest.
- Avoid complaining and negative talk about other people, the company you may be dealing with, or anything else for that matter. Gossiping about someone else sends out an alert that the person you may be gossiping about next will be the one you are speaking with. Complaining may be the vogue, but it creates a bad environment for work and soon enough people will associate you with negativity.
- Offer suggestions or ideas in the right time and place. Your good ideas will be received in a positive light when they are thoughtfully presented to the decision maker in the company you are dealing with. Take some time to think about who that person may be and how you may gain influence with them. Be respectful and present win-win proposals that demonstrate the benefit to that person or the company.
- Give some thought to expanding your business social network. The more contacts you have and the better you attend to these relationships, the greater expansion for opportunities to build your business. Do you belong to a professional organization and if so, do you have contact with your colleagues? Think about joining a local group such as Business and Professional Women, or Rotary, or Kiwanis or a local business promotional and development group. Volunteer and get involved.
To improve your financial bottom line, remember this bottom line for business relationship building: ask yourself “How can I bring more value to this person’s life?” If you do that, you will soon be reaping the benefits of better business relationships.
Oh how I love those bullet points. Making good on your promises is excellent for business and in one’s personal life. Especially to oneself!
Recently I had a good experience with a car rental company that kept their word and when something was wrong with the car, they upgraded it along with their profuse apologies for my inconvenience. Although the experience was stressful, I was left with a very favorable impression of the company.
Thanks for reading and for you comments.