Giving Value to Build Relationships

by John Dinkel

We all know that building relationships with your prospective clients leads to sales success however many of us struggle with how to do that.  There are many ways to build relationships and giving value is one of them.  A lot of the time, when I hear about companies giving “value”, it’s in the form of discounts on services and that’s not what I mean.  I’m talking about giving value to that prospect in the form of information, good-will and connections.  This is where you have the opportunity to really build trust and develop a deep connection.

Here are some suggestions on how to give more value:

Send an article or book.  Coming from the media, I always sent articles to prospective clients.  Its’s a great way to start or follow up on a conversation.  If you’re doing your homework, you should know what your prospect is interested in or what business challenges they are facing.  Do a little research and find an article or book that pertains to that interest or challenge.  They will certainly appreciate it.

Invite them to an event.  There are a lot of different events out there so it shouldn’t be hard to find something that can help your prospect grow their network and meet potential new prospects.

Give them a recommendation.  Giving a prospect a recommendation or good review is a great way to help them boost their brand and expertise.  LinkedIn & YELP! are just two examples. 

Refer them to a potential prospect.  Nothing builds trust and a relationship better than introducing your prospect to a center of influence or potential client for them.  Think about the last time someone referred business to you…it’s a good feeling, right?  Keep this in mind too…92% of buyers trust referrals from people they know. 

These are just a few ways to give value to prospects and if you adopt these on a regular basis, you’ll begin to quickly enjoy the benefits and you’ll stand out from the competition.