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Expert Business Development Tips to Build Stronger Relationships

Evan Polin • October 1, 2022

1.    Ditch the Golden Rule (treat others the way you want to be treated) for the Platinum Rule (treat others the way THEY WANT to be treated). Not everyone wants to be treated the same way. Learn about your prospects and clients and treat people the way that fits best for them.

 

2.    Make sure you are actively listening to people when you talk to them. How do you show someone (especially on a phone call) that you are listening? Make sure to use phrases such as: “yes, ok, I’ve got it” to make sure the other person knows that you are listening to them and understand what they say.

 

3.    When meeting in person or over Zoom, make sure to make eye contact. It can frustrate the other person if they feel like you are not paying attention.

 

4.    Ask personal questions and be authentic when speaking with other people. If you are only trying to sell your services and you don’t ask the other person about themselves, they will feel like you don’t care about them and if that’s the case, they will be less invested in what you say or the products/services you are trying to sell.

 

5.    Take personal notes when speaking with someone so that you can refer to those notes later. Does the person have a family, what are their hobbies, what do they like to talk about (outside of work)? The more that someone enjoys talking with you, the more likely it will be that they work with you over a long period of time.

 

6.    Pay attention to the other person’s communication style and communicate with them in a way that is comfortable for them. Some people are familiar with DISC communication profiles or other types of profiles. First, try to understand your natural communication style. Once you have done that, you can modify your style to make the person you are speaking to more comfortable.

 

7.    When you need to follow up with someone, simply ask questions about how THEY prefer for you to follow up. Do they prefer phone, email, text, or zoom? Are they more available to speak in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Is it easier to catch them early in the day or late in the day? Once you ask questions to uncover this information, it will be easy for you to communicate in a way that works best for your prospect or client.

 

8.    Be authentic when you speak with people. If you try to put on an act, people will see right through it.

 

9.    Offer help before you ask for help. If you are seen as a giver, people will want to continue their relationship with you, and they will want to help you.

 

10. Follow through with what you promise you will do. People want to work with someone that they trust. If you are known for being reliable, people will want to work with you over a longer period of time.


Contact us for a complementary sales and business development plan review.


Polin Performance Group provides real-world sales solutions through sales coaching, sales training, business development workshops and speaking engagements. We give you and your team the sales skills needed to maximize sales performance and increase revenue. Let's talk about your sales challenges and together we'll figure out the best solution for your business growth goals. Contact us today.



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