Would you agree that all of business and all of life is about relationships? You bet. So the idea here is to build relationships with potential referral sources. By adding value to them, they will add value to you.
Have you ever heard “It’s not what you know it’s who you know”? Over the past 28 years in business, I have learned that all of business is about relationships. But, it’s not just who you know, but what you know about who you know.
And it’s not about who you know—but who knows you and what they know about you. That’s called positioning. My good friend Bob Burg, best- selling author of The Go-Giver, says that people do business with those they know, like, and trust.
Are You Building Phenomenal Relationships?
Are you actively building phenomenal relationships? Or are you just rely- ing on casual word of mouth or advertising to get customers? How much time do you invest in business relationships? Or are you kind of stuck “in” your business?
In today’s digital world, we are more connected, but more isolated than ever before. I personally love social networking and actively network on Face- book, but I also make time to connect face to face, because nothing can replace that.
American legend Zig Ziglar said, “You can have everything in life you want, if you just help enough other people get what they want.”
Jesus said, “Give and it will be given back to you, pressed down, shaken together and running over.” It may not come from the same person, but my experience has shown me that if you give people what they want, they will be more apt to give you want you want.
Jim Cathcart, best-selling author of Relationship Selling, says that “relationship selling is becoming an asset to others before they become an asset to you.” So when you want to build a relationship with someone who can benefit your business, find out what they like, what they want, and what they need—and simply be the one to give it to them.
Best-selling author Jeffrey Gitomer says, “All things being equal, people would rather do business with a friend. All things being not so equal, people would still rather do business with a friend.”
You see, you can have higher prices and a longer wait, but your referral sources will still support you because you are a trusted friend and advisor. While others are begging at the front door, trying to get by the gatekeeper, you are being graciously invited in through the back door.
If people don’t know about you, they obviously can’t use you or refer you. If they don’t like you, they don’t use you or refer you unless they absolutely have to. And if they don’t trust you, they won’t use you or refer you.
Finally, building relationships requires leadership on your part. My good friend John C. Maxwell (the world’s number one leadership expert) says that leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less. We all have influence in other people’s lives. How do you get influence? By adding value to others. John says, “If you don’t add value to others, you de-value them.” Add value to them, and they will add value to you.
Remember, all of business is about relationships. You can know every- thing there is to know about the technical part of your business—and be broke! Not to say that being technically savvy isn’t important. It is. But you can be the most “technical” person in the world, but be broke in business.
