You can’t run a business or succeed at it without engaging with people. For your company to grow, it’s vital to establish meaningful connections with others, whether your customers, clients, peers, or vendors. But how can you incorporate genuine care into business relationships? Building an authentic business relationship starts with seeing people as individuals, with their own desires, motives, interests, and goals. Let’s get into more techniques for creating genuine business relationships.

Customer Service Excellence

No matter how good your product or service is, you won’t get very far without good customer service. The best companies go above and beyond to make their customers happy. This may mean extra effort and added expenses, but never forget that while happy customers are likely to tell others about their experience, an unhappy customer is even more likely. Don’t let it happen to you.

Collaborate with Others

Look for ways you can partner with and support other businesses in the area. If yours is a food business, partner with a wine store. Look for businesses that would work well together with yours. Find businesses that you love, meet with their owners, and find creative ways to bundle yourselves together and benefit you both.

Relationships Over Transactions

Cultivate relationships every day. Don’t approach people only when you need something from them. Meet with them or call or text every so often. Treat them like you would a friend. Get to know what they need, what they value, and what drives them. Ask yourself how you can add value. People will remember how they feel when they are around you.

Strong Foundation of Values

What are your brand values? What do you care about? Having clear and consistent core values – both personally and professionally – is important. Being willing to hire, fire, and lose money for your values communicates a strong brand promise and creates shared vision with others. This provides the foundation for strong relationships with employees, peers, and customers and helps build trust and credibility for your brand. Which brings us to…

Trust and Credibility

Lack of consistency or authenticity can seriously harm your brand and business. From your peers, to vendors, or customers, people need to know that they can trust you. You want to be seen as reliable, trustworthy and supportive. Get involved with the community, Get involved in what others care about. Show up consistently, people will notice.

Mutual Success

When the success of others is important to you, they can tell, and your relationship can grow. People can tell when you have an agenda and only want something from them. No one wants to align themselves with someone who is only looking out for number one. When times get tough, it’s good to know that you have people who will support you.