I’ve been told that I have the gift of gab–and it’s true.  I am able to connect quickly with people and can usually find some common ground to talk about within just a few minutes of meeting them.  It’s not something that I plan out, it just seems to “happen”.  I really enjoy meeting new people and  I love networking events!  I don’t mind “cold calling”.  I even enjoy interviews.  (How weird is that?)

My kids can’t believe how I can start talking to someone like I’ve known them forever.  As an example, during the last airplane trip that we took, I was sitting next to a guy and I found out that he was a pilot from the same airline traveling to his next assignment (the uniform was a dead give-away).  We started talking and before we knew it, it was time to land…THREE HOURS LATER!  For me, this is fun…but I realize that I’m the exception and not the rule.

For those who don’t find it totally natural, just think of it as making new friends.  People will never do business with someone who they don’t

• Know
• Like and
• Trust

As you make and develop these relationships, you will find that being genuine and developing the above will help others to know, like and trust you as a person.  They no longer see you as a salesperson who is just after your money, but rather, as a friend or acquaintance that genuinely cares about them.  People will do business with you–and they will refer others to you.  There is a great article that I read about this–here is  a quote from that article.

A critical component in any marketing campaign is learning, understanding and catering to the needs of your audience. This process takes time and doesn’t lead to an immediate sale. However, through developing relationships with your audience, you gain a far greater understanding of how you can uniquely meet their needs.

A concept that is often overlooked in modern digital marketing is the personal touch. Many companies seem to have forgotten that their audience is comprised of people who have needs, wants and could just use a simple “Hi! How are you today?” without having a “buy now” message shoved down their throat.  Read more about developing a following through altruism.

Are you building genuine relationships with other people?  Do they know that you care about them and you want to help them?  Your product or service could be just the solution they are looking for, but if they don’t know, like and trust you, they will find their solution elsewhere.  When you build those relationships and they do become clients or customers, they are generally loyal and long-time customers and may even become your sales force!  Take the time and get to know your potential clients–you may just make a new friend in the process!

I’m going to be very transparent here.  This is a personal invitation to my clients–leave a comment and tell me if I’m “walking the walk.”  If not, I want to know.  Comments are open to everyone of course.  I would love to hear how you use relationship marketing in your business–be sure to leave your URL when you comment!