Keep On Track

Your plan (or structured approach) needs to be like a map. Even if you have to deviate from the planned route, the chart should help you keep as close to your track as possible.

The overall process of relationship-building is multifaceted. It needs to be controlled and managed.

You will need to use ploys and gambits, as well as playing to your own unique strengths, to nurture the process. Try to keep in mind the importance of seeing things from the other side’s point of view. Fine-tuning is paramount, so being able to deploy appropriate approaches from all your available interpersonal skills is advantageous.

A Learning Curve

Learn something from every encounter, even if it’s how not to do it in future!

If you are embarking on building brilliant business connections, you will probably be making hundreds of business development calls to your contacts every year, and arranging lots of meetings.

To maximise the advantage of the time you’ve spent doing this, get feedback. The amount of feedback available from these contacts is massive.

Try to get into the habit of reviewing each exchange in your mind after you’ve finished and analyse the results to improve your relationship-building the next time.

By adjusting the way you communicate with contacts you will avoid repeating your mistakes. Your overtures will appear fresh and well directed in future.

In business dealings, always prepare. Good planning is one way to give yourself a head start over any competitors.

Preparing yourself for your meeting with an important prospect could mean:

• just taking a few minutes of your time thinking matters through before you pick up the phone or start a meeting

 

• sitting round a table with a couple of colleagues discussing the best way to approach a key prospect.

 

Whatever method you use, make sure you always do it. Forewarned is forearmed.

If you are visiting someone who is very busy, the less of his time you take up will earn you points. Try to make the preamble fairly short – don’t spend ten minutes explaining to him in minute detail what the traffic conditions were like on your journey.

On the other hand, if a ‘warm-up’ session is necessary to put your business contact at ease, spend a few minutes asking him about his golf handicap, or his most recent holiday. Be sensitive to his reactions.

Set Objectives

If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you get there? One way of looking at the relationship-building process is to regard it as starting out on a journey. Make sure you start from the best place!

Each exchange with every prospect needs clear objectives:

• Do you want to win new business?

 

• Do you want them to act as influencers or referrers for your company?

 

• Are you trying to obtain market information?

 

• Are you hoping to work for their organisation at some point?

 

• Do you want an introduction to a key decision-maker?

 

If you don’t have a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve, it is difficult to set in motion the actions you need to achieve it.

Remember that well-known mnemonic attributable to so many business activities – when you are trying to build brilliant business connections, remember to work SMART:

• Specific – be clear about what you want to achieve.

 

• Measurable – identify the stages so you can track progress.

 

• Achievable – can you really do it? Be honest. Don’t be over-ambitious.

 

• Realistic – should you actually start the relationship-building process. Is this the right time for you and your company?

 

• Timed – work out the timing. When do you expect to meet your objectives? In weeks, months or years?