42 Rules for Effective Connections by Bonnie Ross-Parker & Cindy Elsberry

Author:Bonnie Ross-Parker & Cindy Elsberry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Super Star Press
Published: 2009-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

Rule 30

Date Your Business Partners

Patti McTier

The best leads are not passed at the meeting, but afterwards, during the day when your business partner runs across the perfect contact for you.

Dating your business partners is not a cause for a lawsuit. In fact, if you are not doing it, you are missing out on the most beneficial part of networking groups. You’re attending your networking groups religiously; you’re on time, dressed to the nines and freshly showered. You have more business cards in your pocket than you could ever possibly need. Okay, stand up, how long do I have? Sixty seconds, ninety, three minutes if they’re generous, then you sit back down and listen to everyone else’s spiel. The hour is up and you pass around your business cards and exchange leads; now on to your day, right? Wrong! The best leads are not passed at the meeting, but afterwards, during the day when your business partner runs across the perfect contact for you. How does this person know you are such a good fit for their client? Easy, because you have established a relationship with your referring partner.

You have to get to know your referral sources. What makes them tick? What motivates them? What are they looking for in a business partner? Can you trust them and more importantly, do they trust you? Oh my gosh, this is a date! So many of us get caught up in the act of going to meetings and expecting a perfect lead to drop in our laps, but if you do not cultivate relationships with those in your networking group, no one will ever feel comfortable sending you their valued connections.

So, how do you begin? Choose one person a week to go out with for coffee or lunch. At the ‘date’ discuss yourself and ask general questions about your partner. This meeting will be 90% social and 10% business; you are getting to know your referral source on a personal level. The business aspect will be what a good lead looks like for each of you. If you find that you have good chemistry with this person, meet again. This time you will know what type of person they are, who you think they will get along with, and what you can offer them to help their business grow. Guess what? They will be doing the same for you! The second ‘date’ is what you have been waiting for. You will receive leads, not just semi-warm, written on a piece of paper at a networking group lead, but an in-depth discussion of why this contact is perfect for you. This person was hand picked for your business by someone who understands you and your business goals.

After the initial dates, keep in touch with your business partners. Phone them at least once a month. Send cards remembering their birthdays or special events. Continue to cultivate your relationship and you will reap the rewards. Remember, you can and should date several business partners at a time.

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