5 Ways Women Know to Build Relationships In Business by @toninelsonbiz

by Toni Nelson

From the time we are little we start building relationships.  Many of these relationships last throughout our lifetime.  We are there for each other to support, give advice or simply to give a hug when needed.

The number one way to start building relationships is to network.  As you attend networking events you will not only find these relationships but you will gain more visibility.  How?

You see friends help friends.  I remember when my daughter was little.  If I needed someone to watch her in order to meet a client my girlfriend was right there ready to help.  I knew I could count on her and she could count on me. Women know how to build these relationships.  This ability carries through to our businesses.

The more you build these relationships in business the more exposure you have.  Your “friends” can’t help but talk about you and the expertise you have.  You can pay a small fortune to market your business using paid ads and any number of other strategies but the number one benefit to building relationships is that you receive more visibility.  This in turn brings you traffic to your website.

It’s going to take time to build these relationships but it will happen.

By building relationships new people are being introduced to your content and in turn they start sharing it with others.  It’s like that special recipe you share with one friend and they share it with others.

The question is “How do you go about building these relationships”?

First you start building your community.  When I have sessions with my coaching clients this is usually the step they haven’t taken.  The major way you can do this is by making sure you are building your list of email subscribers.  Once you start building your list you have the opportunity of reaching out to these individuals and sharing the helpful information they vitally need.  People may come to your website but if you don’t give them an opportunity to sign up for your email newsletter or whatever else you offer then chances are you will lose them.  I don’t want that to happen to you which is why I’m offering the free list building course.

Second you need to be social.  A key way to be social and start a conversation is by commenting on people’s blog.  This is a great way to “introduce” yourself to the people you’d like to connect with. You can ask thought provoking questions or answer other people’s questions.  By doing this you are contributing to their community.  Here’s an important tip: In order to build these relationships you need to “say” more than “great post”, “great article”.  Be engaging.

You can also find online forums and groups on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ to start building these friendships. Start getting to know the people in these groups and sharing your own business tips.

Follow the people you want to connect with on Twitter.  Look for their tweets and then share them.  You’d be amazed how 140 characters can build those relationships.

Third would be to network in person.  You want to make sure you are able to meet people face to face in order to have that personal touch.  I belong to a number of business groups and attend these meetings regularly.  To find places to “meet” others and connect try the site: “meetup.com”.  Whatever business or interest you have meetup.com can accommodate you.

Fourth would be offering to do interviews with other people in business.  This is a clever way to help others get in front of different audiences as well as boost your visibility.

What I love about interviews is that you are sharing information and inspiration with those in your community.  You are “sharing” your audience with the person who’s being interviewed and your community is listening.  Why?  Simply put you have built that all-important relationship with them.

You must understand that relationships don’t come over night.  It takes time but isn’t anything worth having worth working and waiting for?

Fifth, don’t be afraid to make friends with people in your same profession.  I have met a number of other business coaches as well as photographers and videographers at networking events.  Do I shy away from them?  Absolutely not!  We all bring to the table different expertise and experiences. When you start building these relationships you are building a referral system.

The important thing is to be personable and valuable to those you connect with.

Don’t try once and abandon your efforts.  Be consistent when it comes to building relationships.

When you take the time to build your business based on relationships you will find this to be one of the best ways to gain visibility.

As you build these relationships make sure you tell them you appreciate working with them.  The words “Thank you” are not used enough.

Make sure you take my free online video course “10 Days To List Building” where you’ll start building a firm foundation for building your business relationships.

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Toni Nelson – Author of: Sexy, Savvy and Successful: A Woman’s Guide On How To Start A Business, Gain Financial Freedom and Buy More Shoes!

Award winning Videographer and Photographer

Founder of The MINE System of Learning.com – online business video courses for entrepreneurs.  Gain or sharpen your business skills so you can stand out from the competition and attract more clients.

Melissa Stewart

Melissa Stewart is the founder of SheOwnsIt.com. She is a Purveyor of Possibility, Entrepreneur Advocate and Coffee Addict. She believes that behind every successful woman is her story. What’s your story?