Networking is an invaluable tool for any professional. It supports business growth, builds awareness of you and your brand and ultimately, opens doors to new opportunities.

In conversation with Ira Saligman, a friend, he mentioned this statement to me: “You’ve got a great presence, strong follow up, and an incredible Rolodex.” This idea got me thinking about the strategies I’ve used to maintain my relationships over the years. I’ve outlined five strategies to build lasting relationships to share.

5 Strategies to Build Lasting Relationships

1) Engage with your community:

• Attend networking events and conferences with other professionals in your industry
• Attend community events. At these events, you will interact with a variety of people from multiple industries.
• Find a cause you are passionate about and get involved with the organization.  In a situation like this, you are going to connect with others based on a mutual interest outside of the workplace, which opens a new cluster of people with which to interact.

 2) Interact with friends:

• We want to work with the people that we most trust. Often, these individuals are our closest relationships – our friends. Our friends are a vital group to do business with because there is mutual respect for trust and credibility.

3) Listen to their story:

• During the initial conversation, ask about their interests – activities, families, friends, colleagues, common connections, etc. Build a connection on other ideas outside of business.
• Think about the idea of  “Me talk” vs. “You talk”. “Me talk” focuses on your business and yourself, while “you talk” forces you to actively listen to the other person to identify ideas that can develop into mutually beneficial business opportunities.

4) Follow up – and then follow up again:

• Send a message (better yet, make a phone call!) to refer back to your initial meeting thanking them for their time and insights. You are setting a positive tone in the relationship.
• When you see a piece of news, an event, or something that may interest them send a quick message. This acknowledges that you are aware of them in your network. Ultimately, helping you stay top of their mind.
• Make introductions to mutually beneficial individuals within your network. Give a little more before you receive. You’re building up social capital to use when you need their assistance in the future.

5) Do more with those business cards: 

• Make sure to add their contact information to all of your professional social networks: Email, CRM software, LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, etc.  You will stay updated on what they are doing and be able to stay in touch effectively.

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