Building Relationships in a Tough Economy
Attracting and keeping customers is an art. It requires us to get out of our own head and think more about the people who we want to attract to our business. If we use a networking event as an example, you start up a conversation with someone you just met. Did you find out about their hobbies, their families and something about their business before you started sharing information about you and your business? When our thoughts are dwelling on our own agenda of business, rarely do we leave a positive impression. To find out if a new contact is a qualified prospect for you, it is important that you learn as much as you can about them. Win-win situations are created when two people meet and find they have a service or product to share. Not everyone is a customer but everyone can be a referral source when you work to build relationships first. Leaving good first impressions starts with tonality and body language. Pay attention by raising your awareness in how you may be perceived. Ask friends to critique your tone if you come across to abrupt. Most people are not aware of how they sound. Next ask interesting questions that draw in a prospective client. Questions that help you learn more about them. Business today is based on the long term relationships we build. Make it a point to network everyday and give more than you receive. Go through your files and evaluate who would be a good referral for someone in your network. Your business will grow even in a tough economy when we work together to help each other.