3 Steps to Forming a Business Relationship
Although building a business relationship depends on an equal exchange of value, there are three key steps that you can take to help you do it.
The first one is to give away your best value.
1.
The first one is to give away your best value.
Granted, this can be difficult to do if your product happens to be a high-ticket item, such as a car.
But, customers know when they're being given something that is truly of value and when they're not.
Let me give you an example.
Some years ago, I received one chopstick in the mail.
I don't know who the marketer was who thought that one up, but it was a complete waste of money on their part.
The idea was that I could get the other one by contacting them or having a meeting.
The folly of such a gimmick can be seen in a couple of ways.
First, relatively few people use chopsticks.
That means that the chances of two of them, never mind only one, would be a little value to most of those who received it.
The second thing about it was the fact that such implements are known to be quite cheap.
That means that they failed at the outset to give anything that had any perceived or actual value.
2.
The second way to build a business relationship is to endear your customers to you.
Here's a personal example to help you understand how to do this.
We have two cars.
One we bought new, and the other was eight years old when we got it.
We've had it for several years.
It has a lot of miles on it, but it's perfect for running around town and for other short trips.
While most people would have sold it long ago, we just keep replacing various bits on it as needed, because it costs less to fix it, than to buy another one.
We have it serviced by a family-run garage.
Almost every time the car is returned to us, it has been washed.
One time, some used floor mats that were in good condition were put in free of charge.
Another time, the owners gave us a bottle of wine, just because we paid them promptly.
Am I endeared to these people? You bet! 3.
The third way to build a business relationship is to demonstrate that you're committed to them.
This can be difficult because not all clientele will respond in the same way to what you do when you're attempting to prove this.
For example, if your car mechanic sends you a notice to remind you that your state inspection (or MOT) is due in a month, many people will appreciate being told and make an appointment accordingly.
Others, however, will interpret the gesture as just another way to get them to spend money.
That means that the method you use to demonstrate your commitment will have to be tailored for each customer; and, of course, to be able to do that, you'll need to get to know them quite well.
The first one is to give away your best value.
1.
The first one is to give away your best value.
Granted, this can be difficult to do if your product happens to be a high-ticket item, such as a car.
But, customers know when they're being given something that is truly of value and when they're not.
Let me give you an example.
Some years ago, I received one chopstick in the mail.
I don't know who the marketer was who thought that one up, but it was a complete waste of money on their part.
The idea was that I could get the other one by contacting them or having a meeting.
The folly of such a gimmick can be seen in a couple of ways.
First, relatively few people use chopsticks.
That means that the chances of two of them, never mind only one, would be a little value to most of those who received it.
The second thing about it was the fact that such implements are known to be quite cheap.
That means that they failed at the outset to give anything that had any perceived or actual value.
2.
The second way to build a business relationship is to endear your customers to you.
Here's a personal example to help you understand how to do this.
We have two cars.
One we bought new, and the other was eight years old when we got it.
We've had it for several years.
It has a lot of miles on it, but it's perfect for running around town and for other short trips.
While most people would have sold it long ago, we just keep replacing various bits on it as needed, because it costs less to fix it, than to buy another one.
We have it serviced by a family-run garage.
Almost every time the car is returned to us, it has been washed.
One time, some used floor mats that were in good condition were put in free of charge.
Another time, the owners gave us a bottle of wine, just because we paid them promptly.
Am I endeared to these people? You bet! 3.
The third way to build a business relationship is to demonstrate that you're committed to them.
This can be difficult because not all clientele will respond in the same way to what you do when you're attempting to prove this.
For example, if your car mechanic sends you a notice to remind you that your state inspection (or MOT) is due in a month, many people will appreciate being told and make an appointment accordingly.
Others, however, will interpret the gesture as just another way to get them to spend money.
That means that the method you use to demonstrate your commitment will have to be tailored for each customer; and, of course, to be able to do that, you'll need to get to know them quite well.
