If I were to ask you to list the qualities that make a really solid personal relationship, I’ll bet you could do that in a heartbeat. You’d probably start the list with things like trust, respect, empathy, communication, integrity, understanding, listening, etc.
I wonder if those same words would be at the top of your list for a good business relationship. . .
Ask any successful sales person, and they will tell you that business relationships are built on exactly the same principles as personal ones ~ trust, respect, etc.
And if you are meeting face to face with your clients on a regular basis, establishing those things is pretty easy to do, because you have business relationship with them that is based on personal interaction.
What about the relationships you have - or want to have - with people you will never meet? How do you develop that level of trust with them? How do you convey to them that you are listening, you do understand, and you do respect them?
Not quite as easy.
Perhaps a little imagination is in order.
First, and foremost, make sure that you really feel those things towards your clients. Insincerity will almost always come through when you are communicating through one-way communications (like advertising, marketing, websites, etc.)
It’s easy to focus on telling your story - what you have to offer, it’s benefits, how to use it, etc. It takes a bit more creativity to build the perception of listening, mutual respect, and empathy into these types of communications. Yet, it is being done.
Are you ready to do a little research to see how some companies are doing this successfully?
OK –
Think about a business relationship you have where you are the client/customer, and you don’t personally know the person or company you are purchasing from. Pick one where you really like doing business with this company.
What do they do that inspires and maintains your trust? Why do you like doing business with them? How did they initially convince you that this relationship would be a win-win - before they had a track record with you? What was it that made you pick them over a competitor?
Jot down a few notes…and then let’s jump to the other side of the fence.
Can you take this experience, add some imaginative touches, change it up to match your business, and use it to attract new clients and build relationships with them?
Sometimes personal experience is a great teacher.
Just Imagine That!
