Articles Tagged with: relationship building
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January 15, 2018
Picking Up The Pieces When Collaboration Goes Sideways

Collaboration in business can be one of the best decisions you make.

Collaborating with the right champions and partners can advance your business, make it scalable faster, increase your reach and influence, and help you make a bigger impact or difference in the world.

At Raise a Dream, Rebecca and I hear success stories all the time from entrepreneurs who found the right partners and sponsors to collaborate with and where the results could never have been achieved on their own. These successes typically include collaborations where a relationship and trust has been built and nurtured, communication is strong, and where there is a shared vision and agreement about how the partners (and collaboration) will work together.

Sadly, we hear lots of stories on the opposite end of the spectrum… collaborations gone sideways or… worse, fallen apart. Perhaps what saddens us the most in hearing these stories is that relationships were often destroyed and a business suffers, which means the entrepreneurs suffer (and so does their family and the impact they want want to make in the world).

The Right Approach to Collaboration:  

Here are some suggestions from Rebecca and I about how to build collaborations right from the start so there are no pieces to pick up.

  1. Choose the right partners. Your best partner may not be your best friend; it may be someone you have never met but with whom you have the same vision and complementary strengths. This was the case with Rebecca and I and how Raise a Dream was formed. Our business coach knew us both and connected us. The rest is an amazing history (or do we say HERstory)!
  2. Have a plan and ink the plan. Collaborations typically result in high level energy, inspiring ideas, and a big vision. Ensure you work together to create the vision and plan, highlight the priorities, and monitor the plan as you go.
  3. Communicate clearly. Communicate often. Communication is one of the most common reasons that collaborations fall apart. Assumptions get made or communication is missed completely.    
  4. Have collaboration partner meetings. There is a tendency to get caught up and swept away by the details and the many tasks involved in running a business and launching a collaborative dream. Ensure you take time to meet not only about the urgent and emergent needs, but also for long-term future planning.
  5. Build FUN into the agreement. This was one of the priorities that Rebecca and I agreed on from the onset. Now that doesn’t mean all tasks and every step of the business path is fun, but it is important to make sure that the process brings some joy, satisfaction, and FUN!
  6. Learn from others. Watch how other businesses and collaborations work. Consider what the partners are doing to work together and explore where these attributes can assist you with your collaborative endeavours.
  7. Do “Review and Learn” processes. As your business and collaboration grows, ensure you take time to conduct “Review and Learn” processes (e.g. after a launch, an event, etc.). The questions that we use are a) What worked well? b) What was a challenge? c) What did you/we learn? And d) what will we/I do differently next time?

Remember, it takes teamwork to make the dream work!

As you build your collaborations, remember to choose the right partners, agree on the vision, create a plan (and review it regularly), communicate effectively and often, and nurture the relationship… all at the same time as you are having some fun!

Charmaine Hammond and Rebecca Kirstein, Raise a Dream

www.raiseadream.com

December 27, 2017
Why Networking Events CAN Transform Your Business

You never know who you are sitting beside at a networking event and how that person (and her influence) may be the best thing this year for your business.

Far too often, people talk to and schmooze with the people they already know, are Facebook friends with, or saw at a different event a week ago instead of making new connections and building new relationships. While it is important to keep those recent connections strong, you can do this briefly saying how nice it is to see them again and introduce yourself to the person/people they are with. Also, make sure that you connect with the people at your table. Be curious, ask questions, and show genuine interest in learning about the people you are sitting with.

Over the years, I have met clients, sponsors, and project partners at networking events. It is what happens after the event that can transform your business. Make notes on the back of business cards you receive. I write what I learned about the person (e.g. they have a dog, love the show America’s Got Talent, and are going to Mexico for vacation in June) on the card. I create a task for myself in the project management system our team uses (Asana) or in my Google Calendar to follow up with the person after the networking event. Then, perhaps in June after their vacation, I send a short note in LinkedIn or through social media to ask how their vacation was.

This kind of attention shows that you listened, you cared, and that you took time to build a relationship. It also shows that individual what you are like to do business with. I use the CamCard app on my phone to copy the business cards and put them into my phone contact list. Once back in the office, I also connect with them on LinkedIn (that way, if they ever change their email address, you are still connected to them, and their LinkedIn profile tells you a lot more about the person).

Here’s our system for maximizing the value of networking events:

  1. Ensure you are connected with the event organizer, speakers, and emcee, etc. on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter before you attend the event.
  2. Bring business cards. You would be surprised how many people do not bring business cards… what a missed opportunity! If you don’t have business cards, connect with them on Facebook and LinkedIn at the event.
  3. Be active on the event’s social media and event pages before you attend.
  4. Be a champion for the event host.
  5. Follow up after the event.
  6. Have fun and build relationships… Talk to strangers!

Charmaine Hammond, Raise A Dream
www.raiseadream.com

February 7, 2017
Five Things Customers Love

by Mary Cantando, Founder of The Woman’s Advantage, Guest Contributor

Are you spinning your wheels trying to grow your customer base? Do new customers come in the front door while old ones walk out the back? If so, you need to focus on your relationship with customers.

Here are five ways to do that.

Five Things Customers Love

1. Send thank-you cards.

Bonus points for handwritten and sent promptly. If you think you’re too busy, Peter Drucker used to send out a dozen every day.

2. Return phone calls promptly.

You’ll stand out from the crowd.

3. Do what you say you are going to do.

You’d think everyone would, but they don’t. Doing so makes you look like a hero.

4. Do things when you say you’re going to do them.

Or earlier!

5. Appearance counts.

Perception is reality, so make your perception a great one.

August 4, 2016
Five Ways to Better Relate to Others

by Mary Cantando, Founder of The Woman’s Advantage, Guest Contributor

Whether it’s with your staff, a co-worker, a customer or your spouse, to gain cooperation, you must first connect with them.

Here are five ways to create those important connections.

1. Go out of your way to understand how they see the situation.

2. Adapt your communication style to meet their needs.

3. Respond to what they say they want or need.

4. Acknowledge and honor their feelings about the situation.

5. Give them credit for their ideas and accomplishments.

December 21, 2015
Ahead of the Curve – Why Women Can Come First in Sales

Q: You’ve said that women have many advantages in sales. What are some of them?

 A: First of all, we listen well. Given the time and circumstance, women have a tendency to “tune-in” more when listening to client’s goals and objectives. We also like to take the time to ask open-ended questions and jot down the answers.

We can handle many concepts at once.  I read about a recent scientific study that when thinking, the majority of men showed exclusive activity on the left side of the brain while the majority of women showed activity in both sides of the brain, although predominantly on the left. So it’s true that we can think of more than one thing at once.

We aim to please.  Women excel at nurturing competencies such as developing others, inspiring and motivating others, relationship building, collaboration and teamwork. These are highly valued selling skills.

We get things done. Research has found that the largest positive differences for women are taking initiative, displaying integrity and driving for results.

Lastly, we get what we deserve. We are more direct then men, we are kinder to people and we tend to be more honest. All highly valued by any buyer.

Q: Many women business owners are reluctant when it comes to sales. What advice would you give them?

A: Sales doesn’t have to be unpleasant or difficult. Selling is simply relationship building. You listen to what people want and then you offer a solution. That’s it.

When it comes to closing the sale, the best thing you can do is ask. It sounds so simple, but you’d be surprised how often people it doesn’t happen. I have a simple strategy for asking for the business that anyone can use.

Use the word “Let’s”. People love to be invited to things, so begin your final question with “Let’s do it!” or “Let’s get started” and see the reaction you get. If the “Let’s Ask” didn’t work, then offer two choices. It sounds like, “Which would you prefer: Option A or Option B.” Option A could be the entire commitment for one lump sum. Option B could be a payment plan. Either way, provide your client with the ability to choose between the two.

If the “Double Choice” didn’t work, then use the “Puppy Dog”. When was the last time you saw a puppy returned to the pet store? Exactly. Offer them to try a piece of your solution, like a smaller order, so they can measure the value of its success. If you offer coaching, this could be one hour of coaching, for a fee of course!

One of the most disheartening things I witness, is when people ask for the order, and then they over talk the answer. After you have asked, just sit there and listen. Wait for your client to finish their sentence. Most times, they just want to sound-out their thought process. So, when they start to say, “Well, I’m not sure….we haven’t tried that before….sounds like a good idea….” just let them finish completely by waiting for the silence at the end of their sentence. You may be surprised to hear the rest of their sentence could be, “Let’s try this!”

Finally, always have at least two invoices ready to be presented, especially since there is a chance that you will be offering two choices.  Never say, “I’ll send the paper work to you”. Demonstrate your ability to quickly take care of things for them by being prepared.

Q: What types of business challenges keep you awake at night?  Do you think they differ from a male business owner?

A: I wonder about where the next order is coming from. 95% of my business is through referral or repeat business. So while keeping existing clients happy is relatively easy, I am always wondering where my marketing efforts will pay off. Will it be through social media, networking at associations, working with volunteer organizations or email campaigns?  Are my thoughts different from male business owners? I don’t think so. When I review my notes from clients I don’t see a difference between men’s issues or women’s. Men and women all seem to have the same challenges in business, and they all seem to have one thing in common: people. How to best interact with people, for mutual benefit.

Q: How do you celebrate when you close a sale? 

A: I fist pump and then pick up the phone to call a tough prospect.

Q: What’s the best part of being a Sales Strategist?

A: Helping people reach their goals. My conversations all start at the same place: What do you want to accomplish and by when?  Once that is nailed down, we apply a step-by-step approach to blast away the barriers and set up repeatable systems that yield results. Every week we tally up the numbers, celebrate the wins and keep moving forward. I just want people to be happy.

 

About Pauline

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Pauline O’Malley enjoys helping leaders of privately owned companies sell more in less time. When she isn’t helping people ask for what they want, she loves to travel, run on the beach and watch HGTV.

For more information, contact Pauline@PaulineOMalley.com.

 

Get the book: http://www.paulineomalley.com/book/lifestyle_selling_for_women/

Copyright Pamela Chatry 2017. All Rights Reserved