BBJ Help Desk: Tips for building business relationships that last

​Since I am a business-to-business company, I have limited exposure to people. However, as a growth strategy, I’m looking to move more into the business-to-consumer market. What advice do you have on creating lasting business relationships?


As you might expect, building strong, good and lasting business relationships takes time and energy. Just like with your business, you will need to put in the work to first make the relationship happen and to keep the relationship going.
Consider these tips for creating strong business relationships.

• Define the relationship. In the beginning, define what type of relationships you are seeking and what value you will add to that relationship. Are you looking for business opportunities, employees, a business partner, a service provider or just someone to be a sounding board for an idea or business challenge?
• Add value to the relationship. Consider how many people you connect with on LinkedIn. Do you connect on a regular basis or just when you are looking for a connection? You are probably connecting with individuals where you see value between both parties.
• Diversify the relationship. We all have a circle of people we feel most comfortable with. Go beyond that circle to nurture new relationships. You may seek out an entrepreneur outside your demographic, a supplier, professionals, individuals working in the government space or even a competitor. Read more...

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