In truth, your business depends on it!
Make an effort, in fact a concerted effort, to stay in touch with people. Whether you are leaving your job to start a business or you have been an entrepreneur for a while, keep up with your circle of contacts.
Your ability to connect with other people determines your success. It’s really as simple as that.
Connection is all about building relationships. All the things that make other relationships work make business connections work too.
People do business with people. We do business with people we know and like. So the more connected people feel with you, the greater your opportunities.
Even if your clients are big companies, you still get hired by the people in them. Your connections with those individuals are what determine your success with that company.
You also benefit from connecting with clients and prospects by getting to know them. The way to have a hugely successful business that is also fun for you is to work with people who are a great fit. The more you get to know people through connection, the better you’ll be able to discern whether she or he will be a great client for you.
The upside of connection isn’t limited to clients and prospective clients. Having connections among your colleagues, who are possible referral and joint venture partners, and your suppliers also does your business a lot of good.
Staying connected can feel like a job in and of itself. Here are some ways to keep it simple:
1. Plan ahead. Think of 10 different ways you can stay in touch with your contacts. The list can include email, a card, a small gift like a coffee card to say thanks, a phone call. Make the list particular to you and your business, and add to it as you think of new ways. Get creative! How you do things distinguishes you as much as what you do, so use this as an opportunity to set yourself apart.
2. Schedule it in. The best way to ensure you make contact regularly is to schedule it. It’s in your calendar, you don’t have to worry about it, and when the time comes, you just add it to your list for the day.
3. Personalize it. People love to feel special. One way to convey that the connection is important is to send information or a gift that is specific to that individual. You don’t send all your friends the same inflatable reindeer with the blinking red nose that your friend Alicia just loves, right? The same relationship rules apply in business. You won’t necessarily be able to do this for every contact point, but do it when you can.
4. Take opportunities when you get them. If you’re at a meeting where you know one of your contacts will be, make a point of connecting with them. Nothing beats in-person contact, so make good use of those opportunities when they occur organically.
5. Invest in some contact management software. Programs like ACT or Maximizer are an awesome way to both keep track of contact information and schedule in regular follow-up connection points. It’s also a great tool for tracking project or marketing schedules.
6. Be consistent. A hallmark of great connections is consistency. Connecting and then not being in touch for a year, when you are anxious for new work, is not a good way to build connection. People will resent it and question your motives. Find an interval of connecting that works for you, and keep to the schedule. This weekly newsletter is a good example. That regular contact allows you to just say hello and offer help or information without having a hidden agenda.
7. Have some fun with it! If you make a call or send an email as a point of contact, then include a short funny story, or say things in a humorous way. Not every client will be receptive to this in a business situation, so gauge what approach works best, based on what you know about the person.
Once you have this foundational level of connecting in your business down, you have an opportunity to ramp it up. You can choose to cultivate another level of connection by facilitating connections for your clients. If you and your business become a hub of connection, then you’re really on to something.
One way that I’ve done this is, through my network of connections, I’m able to offer resources to my clients. They know this, and I’ll often get a call asking if I know anyone in their area of inquiry. It builds our connection!
Use social media to do this, if that makes sense for your business. Create a community that your people gravitate to for connection. We all crave connection, and if you can be the one delivering the means to do that, you build good will, in addition to be of valuable service. The Work Alchemy community on Facebook is one example (have you joined yet? :).
We all need connection. Your business will thrive if you make a priority of creating and maintaining the relationships, the connections that will support your business success.
And it can be really rewarding as you get to know more and more awesome people! That’s certainly been my experience.
Take your first steps on this today. Pick one of the ‘keep it simple’ steps I described, or come up with your own. Then take action today to implement that step.
Have fun connecting!
How do you maintain connections in your business? Share your ideas in the comments below.