The Case For Developing Business Connections
There is no doubt, close connections in business save time and money. Business effectiveness depends more on human-related activities – relationships, interpersonal skills and communication – than on technical skills and abilities. So how do you identify the best business connections?
Anyone is potentially a good connector, but they must understand what you offer or need. If you don’t take the
time to explain this to them, how can they possibly help you, or vice versa? This is why, when you encounter someone with whom you feel ‘rapport’, make sure you get a half hour meeting with them shortly afterwards to follow-up.
You need to spend some quality time with a new contact fairly early on in the process, to establish how best you can help each other. It could be that one of you is new to the company you work for, so you could want information on who is who and how things are done.
Alternatively, you could be looking for information or researching a particular subject on which this person is an expert. If so, consider ways in which you can be of use to them.
People who are skilled at developing brilliant business connections integrate the process into their lives. They have wide-ranging contacts with whom they keep in constant touch. They exchange ideas, information and offer help. You probably recall meeting such people. Maybe you are one of them.
Their outstanding characteristics include sincerity, curiosity, consideration, sharing, understanding and appreciation. They are the ‘givers’ rather than ‘takers’. They keep in touch with their contacts even though
there is seemingly ‘nothing in it for them’. They are always open to opportunities to assist people and to broaden their network by sharing connections.
Reasons To Get Started
If you want to turn your contacts into connections, you need to work at cementing relationships. This is done simply by getting to know people better. Make the time and opportunity for face-to-face meetings whenever possible. Early on in the process, one-to-one meetings are best. They help to build rapport quickly and easily. Further on in the relationship it is often helpful to include other interested parties.
The responsibility for getting communication right lies firmly with the communicator. Clarity and appropriateness are important.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What does my new business contact need to know?
- How much detail should I give them?
- What sort of action do I want to have as a result of this exchange?
- How do I want them to feel – in agreement, pleased, enthusiastic?
If you are clear as to why something is being done, and you have set yourself defined objectives, then plan how you are going to deliver the message.
- Is significant feedback necessary? If so, it should be handled by a face-to-face meeting.
- Is some simple feedback necessary? Possibly a phone conversation will suffice.
- Does complexity require a combination of both methods?
In each situation a number of different factors will influence the chosen method: urgency, complexity, formality, involvement of a number of other parties etc.
Every possible method of approach needs to be considered. Choice should be made with regard to such criteria and avoid the temptation to do what is easiest (for example, just sending an email)!
Most of you have doubtless spent hours of your precious time in pointless gatherings where little useful information is exchanged or disscused. If you have a dislike of meetings, you will be aware of the
need for a planned approach.
Meetings are simply a form of communication which can be used to:
- analyse and solve problems
- discuss and exchange views
- counsel and reconcile conflict
- obtain opinion and feedback
- instigate change in knowledge, skills or attitudes.
Meetings are potentially useful and are essential in the relationship-building process. It is only by continued contact can you reach a close rapport with someone.
Use your meetings wisely:
- Keep people informed and up to date.
- Provide a chance to be heard.
- Create involvement with others.
- Use marketing as a social gathering to allow cross-functional contact.
- Provide personal visibility.
- Also use them to broaden experience and promote exchange of ideas.
Getting your face-to-face meeting off to a good start involves responsibility. If you are being proactive in creating a close relationship with someone who could be vitally important to your career or business development plans, remember these points:
- Make the meeting positive.
- Ensure its purpose is clear.
- Establish your authority and engage the other person.
- Create the right atmosphere – friendly and flexible.
- Generate interest and enthusiasm for the process.
- Be professional and businesslike but informal.
- Keep to time limits – respect other people’s schedules.
A well-run meeting demands concentration. You should avoid interruptions and make the process effective in the following ways:
- Actively stimulate creative thinking.
- Contribute new ideas and encourage others to do the same.
- Steer the discussion into new or unusual directions.
- Find new ways of looking at things.
- Consider novel approaches and give them a chance.
- Aim to overcome obstacles to progress.
Communication is a two-way process, and there’ll be more on this later. If you want to stimulate feedback,
comment, exchange of ideas and suggestions, you should positively encourage it. To ensure your business relationship starts well, encourage communication with your new contact.
- Create a culture where two-way communication is expected.
- Stimulate it by regularly keeping in touch by a variety of means.
- Make it easy – provide feedback and useful pieces of information.
- React positively to each and every exchange – acknowledge and thank them.
- Give credit – this will ensure a flow of ideas and exchanges.
- Make time to do this on a regular basis however busy you are.
- Be available when your business contact makes an approach.
Finally, keep the possibilities for creating a proactive relationship in mind. Encourage the process, be versatile and flexible to keep your contact’s attention. For example, don’t just ‘do lunch’. Invite your new contact to a variety of different events. A business breakfast is a good way of keeping in touch and not spending a lot of time ‘catching up’. Much progress can be made in an
hour before the working day starts.
If your contact is an evening person, rather than an early starter, meet for a drink after work. A ‘happy hour’ approach is informal and relaxed and can work wonders if that is a comfortable way of connecting for both of you.
Whichever method of approach you use, make sure it is a continuous process. Set aside a proportion of your working week for connection making and relationship-building and you will be amazed at the results.
Following up on a face-to-face meeting can often best be done in writing. If this is what you propose to do, try to be:
- concise (as brief as content and purpose allow)
- understandable (avoiding ambiguity)
- precise (saying what is necessary and no more)
- in plain language (without jargon or technical terms)
- simple (in language and grammatical structure)
- descriptive (letting your words add to the message).
When there’s no ‘reason’ to meet, keep in touch remotely. You can phone, email or write. Use the opportunity to carry out some research, gather market knowledge, exchange ideas or share contacts.
While you are being generous with your time and connections, your business contact will be busy trying to reciprocate. You’ll earn respect and your reputation will be enhanced. In addition you’ll make more new friends and have a good time.
Natural business connectors have certain things in common:
- They treat everyone as being interesting, special and likeable.
- They use good eye contact and positive body language.
- They make other people, particularly new acquaintances, feel safe and part of the occasion.
- They introduce people to each other effortlessly, remembering names and something relevant about those they introduce.
In a word, they have ‘charisma’.