The last post focused on negotiating with your big fish and how you can nurture and build on the relationships you are creating. Today we’ll discuss the power your fish has and how to utilize that for your benefit.
One of the most important aspects of this is to keep your cheerleader cheering. This refers to the ally you created in the company that needs to stay loyal to you in order for you to continue a profitable partnership with your fish. There are a number of ways to keep your champion in your corner, such as:
- Sharing the limelight;
- Helping them thank their company with new products and services;
- Emotionally connecting them to your company;
- Knowing when to leave them alone;
- Keeping your “family” happy;
- Remaining on the front lines.
Now that you have some ideas of how to build solid relationships, you will need to seek out people with whom to build these relationships. These alliances will help you get bigger clients that will stay with you indefinitely. You can often get in the door by offering them something in exchange for something they need:
- Power
- Information
- Better work experience
These are all great ways to feed your alliance. You need to go into a relationship considering the things a big fish can offer you besides money. These may include:
- The opportunity to expand your business;
- The opportunity to learn from the experience and find ways to grow;
- The opportunity to improve your processes, systems, and other means of doing business.
These are some of the best ways to keep your alliances going strong and your partnerships fresh and content.
If you need help with any of these tactics, reach out to me for great tools and resources that can assist you every step of the way.