Seeing that we are all starting a brand new year, filled with hope, anticipation, excitement, relief, feeling refreshed, (ok, maybe still a bit exhausted!), and many other feelings, I feel this is a good time to look at our relationships – both in business and in our personal lives.
Business relationships and personal relationships – both require regular and constant nurturing.
Just like a garden, a garden requires regular weeding, watering, and maintenance such as more soil, nutrients to keep a healthy garden with happy plants.
Business relationships also require regular “touch points” to keep the current status quo or to improve a business relationship. What do I mean by “touch points”? A Touch Point is a direct communication with a business associate, i.e., a client, alliance partner, supplier, or colleague, that has the purpose of assisting them in their business, keeping you in their list when they need assistance, and building a good relationship with them. A good strategy would be to keep in touch within a 12-week period.
Here are a few ideas for regular touch points:
- Regular newsletter with information that will assist them in their business
- E-mail or regular mail of current offers that you may have
- Invitation to events, either your own or something that will benefit them
- Phone call to see what you can help them with – not to sell them something
- Coffee and / or lunch meetings
- Gifts for special occasions, e.g., Christmas, recognising their business achievement
There is a saying in business: when you have a negative experience, it will take at least seven good experiences to negate the negative experience. It is possible to re-establish good business relationships with your business associates with regular authentic nurturing.
Personal relationships are a different story. A negative experience in a personal relationship, will usually leave somewhat a permanent scar, however faded with time. This is because personal experiences are just that – personal! Anything personal touches us more deeply. To heal a negative experience in these circumstances, requires constant and regular authentic nurturing experiences and time.
Nurturing relationships, whether in business or in our personal lives, feeds the Soul – it is food for our Soul. We all had a huge year in 2020, and some of us more than a year with fires, floods, and drought added. Nurturing relationships is essentially creating and keeping our connections with people. We have had to distance ourselves, and now slowly we can re-connect, with our safety precautions.
Let’s keep feeding our Souls!
You can connect with me if you need help with your Xero, or MYOB, or systems – on 0410 819 783 and at hello@miebs.com.au
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