When starting your own company you soon realize that without quality relationships it can be hard to thrive. Whether your building up your customer base or setting a solid foundation for networking one thing is clear…learning how to create and keep lasting business relationships will measure your success! Below we have 5 tips that will help you do just that!

Know Your Audience:

First things first, what type of relationships do you want? You should already have a good understanding of your industry, so, who fits into your category? If you are a real estate agent then it may be beneficial to reach out to an insurance provider. Together you can send each other referrals based off of your customers needs! Say someone just bought a house from you and they now need home owners insurance. This would be a great referral to pass along to your connection. You are now more valuable to your customer and have helped out your business colleague! With one easy relationship everyone benefited.

Be Your Best Self:

No matter what industry you’re in, the personality you show people is the one they will remember. So bring the best version of yourself to the table and people will naturally gravitate towards you! We come in contact with so many individuals throughout the day and naturally we choose to spend time with those that lift us up so be that person to someone else. Energy is magnetic, you’ll soon realize how easy it is to start building and creating lasting business relationships simply by making sure you have the right attitude!

Get Involved:

You won’t make friends if you never venture into the sandbox! Getting involved in the community where you work is a great way to meet like minded professionals who could be your next best business relationship. Look up your local Chamber of Commerce to instantly be welcomed into a thriving business environment. See if there are any charitable organizations that you’d love to be apart of. Every step you make to reach out to others will be another step in the right direction to gaining those relationships your business needs!

Be Engaged In What Your Doing:

People can tell if you aren’t interested in or care about what they’re saying. So, show them you care! Be engaged in what those around you are talking about. Show interest, ask questions, and answer them truthfully. If you think their business could blend well with yours tell them! People love to know that others are genuinely curious about what they do and there is no bigger complement then when someone wants to work with you.

Network Yourself:

Networking is one of the quickest ways to start building those business relationships you need! Find a local networking group and if you’ve already joined a chamber check out which networking groups you may fit into. These groups are designed to bring companies together and to offer referrals that can lead to lasting customers! At SPARK we have helped join multiple companies together and have not only contributed to lasting friendships but have helped the businesses within our group to thrive!

 

Whether you are just starting out, or have been in it for years, building relationships is a key component to any successful business. Make sure you are taking the right steps towards building your relationships to help develop an even stronger economic environment in the 21st century!