What would you say if someone asked you to describe your business situation a year into the future? What would you want your business to resemble 12 months from now? This is not about goals, but it certainly can affect your goals if you do it right.
What type of business relationships do you want one year from now? What would you say to an acquaintance when the other person asks you to describe your mutual relationship a year from first meeting?
Interesting question isn’t it? How do you describe the relationships that you would want? Would they be just business relationships where one of you is the customer of the other; would they be where both of you are just customers of each other? Or would they be more than that?
I believe that I have never attended a networking meeting where I do not learn something from the group of people that attended the meeting. I also believe that I never meet anyone one-on-one and not learned something from the other person. However, what do I want from any relationship a year into the future?
I look to establish working business relationships with everyone that I meet. I look for others that are professional in their business dealings, that are passionate about their business and its workings, and that are personable toward those that their business touches.
A working business relationship includes the possibility of being mutual customers of each other. However, if you are not mutual customers of each other, or even if neither of you is a customer of the other, the business relationship can still be a success.
A working business relationship may include the following:
- There is a mutual respect for each other’s business, ethics, principles, and method.
- That mutual respect allows each partner to refer prospects to each other with no hesitation.
- Referrals do not always include customer prospects, but may include those who might assist the recipient increase their possibilities of success.
- There is a mutual honesty that allows the partners to be honest and supportive of each other when asked for assistance.
- The partners in the relationship do not hesitate to offer assistance when asked and do not hesitate to ask for assistance when needed.
When you are in networking meetings, look for these types of people with whom you might establish business relationships. Look at each person you meet one-on-one for a get acquainted chat (You do meet others in this type of setting, don’t you?), and see how you may establish a mutually rewarding relationship. It is amazing what you can accomplish when you look for the possibilities.
Do not, and we must repeat, do not prejudge anyone. The person that you believe is not worth having a chat with may be your next networking partner, you next business relationship that may drive you to success. Or perhaps, this person may be someone that you can help with your insight, experience, knowledge, and counsel. If so, you have the opportunity of a lifetime to make someone’s life better.
So, as you go about your business life in this New Year, try to make your entire future brighter and better. What do you want your business relationships to be a year from now? Ask yourself this question about each and every person you meet since every one of them is a potential business relation.
Look for the great possibilities and you will find them. Look for the opportunities and you will find them. If you don’t look, you may be stumbling around in the dark a year from now. If you do recognize these opportunities, and follow up with them, you are practicing Appreciation Marketing.
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