I’m sure you’ll agree it’s not easy to maintain relationships
with your business network.
With your daily tasks and little free time, it’s not easy to fit in time
to maintain relationships and just touch base with someone.
That’s why nourishing relationships usually goes to the bottom
of our lists and doesn’t get done much.
Consequently, good people and good relationships go to waste…
and we lose this person in our life and by our side.
Bear in mind that nourishing relationships is a broad topic
with different angles and methods in which you can excel.
But you can start small…it’s better than barely doing it at all!
Going the extra mile
They say it’s never crowded in the extra mile.
I want to provide you with an ‘extra mile’ tactic.
By doing so, the other person will feel special and appreciative
because he wasn’t expecting it from you.
This tactic is done authentically by your own will
and not “because you had to” or because someone asked you to.
This tactic has many advantages:
- It will help you strengthen and nourish relationships
- It brings you closer to the other person – authentically!
- It makes both of you feel amazingly good!
- And it will drive more willingness to help and be there for each other
I have to admit that when I first fulfilled this tactic, I was thrilled.
I got to appreciate this person even more,
I felt grateful for having these people in my life,
and it even led to more business. And, the other person appreciated me even more!
This one powerful tactic
This is how it goes: It’s about writing authentic, genuine recommendations!
- I challenge you to sit down and write at least five recommendations
to five of your business networking acquaintances and friends. - Then, post it on their LinkedIn profile under Recommendations.
Ideas for those people:
It can be people you haven’t been in touch with for a while,
people you appreciate, people you want to strengthen your relationship with,
mentors that you barely know but attended their events,
friends, people that helped you… and so on.
The logic behind it
Don’t you like when other people tell you how much they appreciate you
and respect you, and how much you helped and influenced them?
It’s great to get a good word about your efforts every now and again,
it’s like a boost of energy! So why not give this great feeling to others?
I have to admit that it embarrasses me a little when I get it,
but it also makes me feel good knowing I contribute to and influence others.
That’s what this tactic is all about.
What a good word can do…
You see, a few powerful things occur when you write a recommendation,
both for you and for the other person, and here they are:
1) It only works when it’s real
I always say that “it only works when it real.”
People sense when we are not genuine. When you write that recommendation,
connect to this real authentic place within you,
extend your feelings to the person and come from an honest place.
Think about this person and highlight his / her positive traits, skills,
and actions, and focus on the good in him or her. You really stop and see
what this person means to you. It will show in your words
and create a powerful, authentic recommendation piece.
2) Social proof
A recommendation is a text that comes to emphasize someone’s strengths.
People trust recommendations more than they trust the actual person,
as it is considered ‘social proof’ of the person’s skills and abilities.
Many people get deals closed just because of a recommendation someone else wrote about them!
3) The law of reciprocity comes in
This law says that when we receive help, we like to give help in return.
So with your recommendation, you create a situation
where the person you recommended might write a recommendation back to you
and will likely offer his help in return.
4) You are more likely to help the other person again and get more help
Have you heard of the “Ben Franklin effect”? It says that:
“A person who has done or completed a favor for someone
is more likely to do another favor for that person
than they would be if they had received a favor from that person.”
Research proved this right. You can read more about the Ben Franklin effect here.
This means that you are more likely to be there for this person again, and based on the law of reciprocity, this person will likely be there for you too… So what you’re doing is creating a snowball of mutually beneficial, genuine friendship! I like that!
After reading this, what is one action you are going to take right now?
Spread the love…
xx
Lirone
