To Building

Better Relationships in Your Network

10 Steps

Relationships are the Key To Success

Whether you are trying to attract new customers, expand your opportunities, or just looking for more meaningful business relationships, your connections are the most important resources you will ever have. Surround yourself with amazing people and you will always find success.

Have a Connection Plan 1

As part of your weekly tasks, make time to connect with new people, reconnect with old contacts, and strengthen your current relationships. Give yourself a target and schedule it. You will find it is easier and you won’t let relationships and opportunities slip.

Be Authentic: Have a WHY 2

People want to do business with those they know, like, and trust. To be trustworthy, you must be genuine. Have a strong passion and purpose behind what you do. What do you believe in? When people ask, “What do you do?” can you get them excited because you have a powerful WHY?

Give Value First 3

When meeting people, don’t look for ways they can help you. Actively seek out cues for ways you can add value to their lives. How can you provide resources that will help them in their business? What about providing referrals? Before your next interaction, set your intention to adding value.

Ask Awesome Questions 4

When connecting with others, get really good at asking questions about them. Become insatiably curious about everyone you meet. Often, we are just waiting for our turn to speak, but we forget that our most important skill to develop is that of listening, and more importantly, understanding.

Have a Three-Way 5

Our world is made up of a network of interdependent relationships between many people. Find ways to include more people in the conversation. Train yourself to look for signals in conversations that would be good reasons to connect them to another person.

Be a Master Introducer 6

Identify opportunities to connect two or more people and practice being an introducer. Promote people to each other in a way that gets them excited to meet and feel empowered. You will become known as a connector and there is nothing more powerful than a warm introduction.

Don’t Rely on Technology 7

Often we mistake tools like social media, email, and texting as replacements to real connections. Make it a major part of your plan to have face to face meetings and genuine interactions. Don’t fall into the trap of seeing your digital hyper-connectivity as adequate relationship building.

Use “You/Because” 8

Practice this. When meeting people, ensure you use the word “YOU” as it is the number one word we like to hear. When you combine it with the word “because,” we increase the level of buy-in to well over 90%. Keep in mind that your “because” must be genuine and relevant. Try it.

Be Interesting 9

Read books, engage in high level conversations, and challenge yourself to think. When you get into conversations, make it a habit to try and increase the level of the discussion (without being a know-it-all). If you want to attract interesting people, you have to be interesting. (PS – I just thought this

image was hilarious)

Pay Attention 10

Always be on the lookout for opportunities. To connect, to listen, and to observe. When you start seeing yourself as a genuine connector, you will quickly find ways to add value and cultivate amazing, long-lasting relationships. It takes effort, it takes intention, and it takes practice. Enjoy it!

Will You Go and Connect?

Find out

More:

Take the first step and start your connection game plan. Make a list of people to connect with this week and go get it done. Want more tips?