“If people like you, they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you, they’ll do business with you.” -Zig Ziglar
Make A Meaningful Connection
They happen every day in every corner of the world. And their impact can be hugely consequential for your brand or business if done properly. I am talking about the business meeting — an opportunity to forge a partnership that can pay off again and again.
Too often, the tone and approach to such sit downs is all wrong. It’s understandable that you want to get right to the deliverable items and the meaty part of the deal, but making a real connection is more important.
First, don’t make the mistake of hosting a potential business partner in your office. Instead, choose a nice restaurant, hotel or lounge where the atmosphere can put both parties at ease and feel more natural. Don’t be afraid to select a high-end place to help sell your confidence and credibility as a person of influence.
Turn The Relationship Into A Partnership
Before any business discussion, make an effort to build some level of comfort and rapport with the other person. It’s important that you can feel at ease together through some personal small talk — and even better if you like each other. Very few trust relationships happen unless business people genuinely like one another. Work at that and don’t underestimate its importance.
Consider bringing a small gift and offering to pick up the bill. Both moves will make a solid impression. When it comest to the details of any deal, set some boundaries in your mind but remember to be flexible and fair. And once any meeting ends, be quick to follow through even if it means an email shortly after.
At the end of the day, these business opportunities are all about building relationships. Making the extra effort can help a relationship blossom into a business partnership — and those are powerful indeed.
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