Advance Consulting, Inc.

FEBRUARY 2005

Based on the book : Partnering for Results! by Virginia LaGrossa and Suzanne Saxe.

Jumpstart Your Business Relationships

“Advance Consulting workshops have taken our Professional Services organization to the next level in serving their customers. They are better equipped to understand client issues and position solutions to help meet their needs. The results have been tremendous for our organization and our customers.”

Jon Harris,
SVP Services
Ultimate Software

Whatever your role, internal or external consultant, manager, team leader, or team member—your success is dependent upon your ability to nurture and develop relationships with others (both inside and outside of your organization).
With hectic schedules and demanding workloads, it can be difficult to focus on current business relationships as well as the development of new ones. To get back on track we suggest you focus some time and energy to gain momentum in the following areas:

Establishing Credibility— your clients want to know that you are a guru in your field. You can demonstrate your expertise by sharing your experience, your findings, and how what you’ve learned applies to your client’s situation.
Building Your Network—who you know is almost as important as what you know. Keep in touch with those you’ve worked with in the past and those you want to work with in the future. Attend a conference or get involved in your local chapter’s association—the key is to get out there.
Understanding Business Needs and Goals—this involves not only uncovering your customers' needs, wants, and concerns but also understanding their overall business strategy and goals. Ask questions to uncover needs and pains.
Delivering Results—this is where the rubber meets the road. Your clients want and expect results. To ensure you are on the right track, ask your client early on in the engagement “What does success look like to you?” “What results do you want to achieve?” Involving them in the formation of solutions and options will help you build your relationship and achieve your desired results.
Provide Exceptional Service—to keep your relationship going strong, you must deliver a positive work experience. Your ability to provide exceptional service is what will keep your clients coming back for more and will garner you referrals. Keep in mind that you want to be easy to work with and encourage your team to go the extra mile. Try and “delight” your customer every chance you get.

These are just a few examples of how you can gain momentum in building your business relationships. We’ve detailed these five areas in our new article--Building Relationships to Gain Momentum with New and Existing Clients. If you’d like a copy of the full article, please email us at advanceinfo@advanceconsulting.com.

QUOTE
"Nothing is in the understanding, which was not first perceived by some of the senses."

Proverb

FIND OUT MORE
Advance Consulting is a professional development company that provides state-of-the-art consulting services, workshops, seminars, and speaking engagements throughout the U.S. and internationally. Find out more at www.advanceconsulting.com, send us an email at advanceinfo@advanceconsulting.com, or call us at (831) 372-9444 for more information.