Building the best business relationships with all stakeholders is important. These 6 points are all you need to get going.
Without further ado, we’ll go straight into our short yet amazingly effective 6 points to ensure every relationship you make, the best they’ve had.
1. The Power of a Smile
Smiling is contagious. There have been many studies shown that those who smile at another are likely to receive a smile back. Try it! Reciprocal smiling already allows a physical relationship to be built without even saying a word.
2. Listen More Than You Talk
Listening intently shows that you are genuinely interested in a person. The person you’re interacting with will realise not only that you are serious about what they have to offer but also that you aren’t self-centred. Most importantly you’ll learn a lot from what a person has to say, which may prove extremely useful for helping achieve your goal.
3. Be Direct
Leaders tend to have a lot of followers and people acting agreeable with them because they think that will put them on the best side of the leader. However it is well documented that leaders want your honest feedback. Being direct will earn you respect, which is far more valued that ‘brownie points’ for agreeing with everything.
4. Remember Their Name & Use It
A persons name is one of the most sweetest and most important. Saying the person’s name will allow an immediate closer relationship with it bringing you closer to building a strong and natural rapport base. Repeat their name in your head as soon as they introduce themselves to help you remember and use it frequently.
5. Talk About Their Interests
Sincerely showing interest in the person’s hobbies and passions will allow you to gain an insight into what makes them tick. Everybody likes to talk about themselves, so be selfless, sacrifice talking about your own self and ask them open questions. You may even find common ground which will allow further closeness in the relationship.
6. Realise When You’ve Screwed Up
Just say sorry. Admitting when you’ve done or said something incorrect will show people that you have respect for them, coupled with a strong backbone. Saying sorry doesn’t always show weakness. However don’t say it too frequently, nor when you haven’t actually done anything incorrect – that could have adverse effects.
These simple tips can make a significant difference with the quality and quantity of your relationships in your life. Practice them, find the right balance and use them to make the best business relationships!