 | Alan Rogers is a current member of Business Builders of SEK, a highly motivated business referral group. As a Real Estate agent for Century 21 Cobb Realty and sales partner in the SE Kansas Q&A Times, Alan is excited about the referrals it has produced and the great relationships he has established, that will help produce future referrals. |
Business
2012-01-30 12:44:11
10 qualities to having people knock down your door to do business with you - series - part 2
Q: I’m a business owner in what has become a saturated market. While I was in business before many of the “other guys” started up, I have found it a challenge to continue growing my network and referral resources. Can you provide some helpful ideas or tips?
A: Last month, we discussed the critical importance of following up on referrals, and some personal traits that will help turn you into a master networker and one that MANY people will enjoy doing business with. To wrap things up, here are traits six to 10, some long lost:
6. Network always
Master networkers never take a day off.
7. Gratitude
Gratitude is sorely lacking in today’s business world. Expressing gratitude to business associates and your clients is just another building block in the cultivation of building relationships that will lead to increased referrals. People enjoy referring others to business professionals that go above and beyond. Saying “Thank you” at every opportunity will help you stand out from the crowd.
8. Enjoy Helping
Helping others can be done in a variety of ways, from literally showing up to help with an office move to clipping a helpful and interesting article and mailing it to an associate or client. Master networkers keep their eyes and ears open for opportunities to advance other people’s interests whenever they can.
9. Sincerity
Insincerity is like a cake without frosting! You can offer the help, the thanks, the listening ear, but if you aren’t sincerely interested in the other person, they’ll know it! Those who have developed successful networking skills convey their sincerity at every turn. One of the best ways to develop this trait is to give the individual with whom you’re developing a referral relationship your undivided attention.
10. Work their network
It is not net-sit or net-eat, it is net-work, and Master networkers don’t let any opportunity to work their networks pass them by. They manage their contacts with contact management software, organize their e-mail address files, and carry their referral partners’ business cards as well as their own. They set up appointments to get better acquainted with new contacts so that they can learn as much about them as possible so that they can truly become part of each other’s networks.
Do you see the trend with these ten points? They all tie in to long-term relationship building, not to stalking the prey for the big kill. People who take the time to build their social capital are the ones who will have new business referred to them over and over. The key is to build mutually beneficial business relationships. Only then will you succeed as a Master networker.
