Written by: Linda Dent, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
It's 8 am on Monday morning, and you have recently started your own business. You have a list of people to call, but you are dreading picking up the phone because sharing small talk is like having your teeth pulled at the dentist.
The social media pages and smartphone groups are going wild with messages of motivation, fitness challenges, images of people meeting at social events and smiling (with their eyes at least in these days of masks hiding our mouths), and all the networking events and zoom webinars for you to join.
Since the 2020 Coronavirus outbreak, many people are starved for social connection in person, but perhaps you are more like me and like some isolation from time to time.
But you have a business to run, and money doesn’t generally arrive in your bank account unless you communicate with real people!
Do you find it difficult to build business relationships? Are you dreading picking up the phone and dialing your prospect to follow up on a proposal?
Then this article is for you. Read on.
What is an introvert?
An introvert is a person with qualities of a personality type known as introversion, which means that they feel more comfortable focusing on their inner thoughts and ideas than what's happening externally. They enjoy spending time with just one or two people, rather than large groups or crowds. Some other characteristics:
Need quiet to concentrate
Are reflective
Are self-aware
Take time making decisions
Feel comfortable being alone
Don't like group work
Prefer to write rather than talk
What happens if you don’t talk to people?
In the song, Talk, by Coldplay, the lyrics start with these words:
"Oh brother, I can't, I can't get through I've been trying hard to reach you 'cause I don' know what to do Oh, brother, I can't believe it's true I'm so scared about the future, and I wanna talk to you Oh, I wanna talk to you."
We want to talk to our clients, prospects, suppliers, and employees, but as introverts, we are often scared to make the first move and how this will impact our business in the future. Of course, you can communicate with (hide behind) email, SMS, and social media messages, but you run the risk of miscommunication and, worse, being ignored.
What if I could show you how to build business relationships with relative ease?
5 Easy Steps to Creating Strong Business Relationships
Step 1: Plan who you are going to call each day and write it down.
Step 2: Keep the list as short as possible.
Step 3: Do some research on the person beforehand.
Step 4: Create a few questions or topics you want to discuss.
Step 5: Make a few notes and then follow up re-email.
Let's break it down:
Steps 1 and 2 are designed to ensure you are not overwhelmed with too many social interactions in one day. Leave time for thinking, reflection, and writing.
Doing research beforehand allows you to break the ice, develop trust, keep the conversation away from too many personal issues and ensure you understand why you need to speak to this person. Is it to follow up on a lead, address a service delivery problem, or negotiate with a supplier? Whatever the reason, preparation creates certainty and confidence that you will be ready for this conversation.
The kind of research will depend on the call, but reading through emails, previous file notes, checking out their website or LinkedIn profile for details or recent activity will provide the context for your discussion.
With Step 4, you are creating a mini agenda for the meeting, and it is best if you share that with the person right upfront. Here is an example with ideas on what to say in italics:
Agenda
1. Brief check-in – How are you? I see you recently won an award/had a holiday/started a new venture/bought out another company (from your research).
2. Review actions from the previous meeting (if applicable) i.e. We agreed on this action last time. Is it complete? Were there any concerns?
3. Opportunity or problem statement, i.e., I received your email saying you are not satisfied with our service or I see you were interested in our product, or I would like to talk about a strategic partnership with you.
4. Possible ideas/solutions, i.e., I would like to discuss some ideas/options/share some product details. Is that ok?
5. Agreed actions and timeframe.
6. Close-out – Are you happy with what we have discussed/Can I send you a quote/Shall we meet again next week?
Should you follow up?
Obviously, with clients, employees, and suppliers, the answer is yes, but if it's networking related and you reached out to meet somebody for the first time. You did not feel a connection or that there is no future in the relationship, then don’t feel bad if you don’t follow up. As introverts, we only have space for a few people, so make sure they are worth your time and attention.
Building deeper, more meaningful relationships with a few people is the way Introverts prefer things. Resist the urge to get caught up in the challenges, groups, meetings, and social activities beyond what you find comfortable.
“So you take a picture of something you see In the future, where will I be? You can climb a ladder up to the sun Or write a song nobody has sung Or do something that's never been done.”
My interpretation of Coldplay’s lyric is that you can build relationships as an introvert but do it your way and climb that ladder into your dream future.
Valued insights, focused action.
Reach out for a Virtual Cuppa with Just Ask Linda to have a conversation about this article and my simple 3-step coaching process for business owners who want to build businesses that fund their dreams.
Linda Dent, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Linda is a Business coach with a solid background in the Banking Industry. She believes in building businesses through long-term relationships and a partnership approach to grow and empower the small business owner through planning, actions, and regular reviews of actual results vs. planned results. She is the Founder and CEO of Just Ask Linda Business Coaching, which was born out of a desire to Grow, Learn, Empower others and Enjoy her work, her very own GLEE philosophy. From understanding your unique strengths and how they apply to work, establishing where you are now and where you want to be in your business, getting to know your numbers and setting goals, managing your time, or rather how to do more of what you love each day, building a loyal team of employees or just listening to the business owners’ major business challenges and offering up new thinking, you can Ask Linda. If she can make a difference in a business owners’ life, helping them overcome Money, Time, and Team challenges to grow a successful business and share some part of their business journey, then she will be full of GLEE. Owning a business is an adventure, and she loves the one she is on.
