A modern take on a traditional relationship-building custom

by | Sep 6, 2021 | Monthly-ish tips

This post is part of our Monthly-ish Tips series.

I’m guessing you’re like I am in that you don’t end each day wistfully thinking, “If only I had received more email.” Just last week, though, I found one of the loveliest messages in my inbox I’ve ever gotten—which is saying something because I actually get some really, really nice ones on a pretty regular basis. Last week’s dispatch was a brilliant blend of traditional and modern communication that strikes me as a simple and distinctive addition to all of our relationship-building toolkits.

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The (new) 80/20 rule for virtual relationships

by | Jan 11, 2021 | Monthly-ish tips

This post is part of our Monthly-ish Tips series.

I’m just back from several weeks of staycation. I am refreshed. It’s a new year. Some things have changed. And yet lo and behold: our virtual working reality persists! Colleague Noelle Mykolenko and I did some thinking in late 2020 about how best to build trust under our collective circumstances. I’m thinking a recap that includes all the best practices we came up with would be helpful as everyone’s new normal continues.

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To tell or not to tell: the Three-Question Transparency Test

by | Feb 16, 2011 | Client relationships

We’ve all had those moments when we realized we knew something that someone else didn’t know and it was awkward. Think of the last time you were at lunch and you noticed your tablemate’s big, toothy grin adorned by a piece of big, leafy spinach—yep, that’s the kind of awkward we’re talking about. Even though most of us probably ascribe to a principle of Transparency—being honest, open, candid except when illegal or injurious to others—we’ve all made the choice at some point to say nothing.

The question is: did we do the right thing?

Use the Three Question Transparency Test to find out.

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A cautionary tale for marketers: do’s and don’t’s from the perspective of the marketed-to

by | Jul 20, 2010 | Client relationships, Sales and BD Mastery

Story 1: Don’t do this

I got one of those broadcast email solicitations from a very reputable organization that hosts executive roundtables. Brian (a stranger to me) wanted me to attend an informational meeting. To his credit, he “had me at hello” with the very first lines of his email, which were both personal and complimentary: “Andrea, let me first say I LOVE the name of your company and the genesis of it…the ‘new beat’ story. Outstanding!”

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Intimacy 201

by | Dec 15, 2009 | Client relationships

At first blush, intimacy is a strange word to use in a business context. “What, I’m supposed to intimate with my clients?” In the sense that being intimate means being familiar, informal, and emotionally connected…yes, indeed.

Intimacy is one of the four components of the Trust Equation and it usually gets the short-shrift. For most, it’s more natural to build trust by increasing credibility and reliability. And yet, without intimacy, business transactions are just that–transactions–and the “safe haven” experience that is the hallmark of Trusted Advisor relationships is a pipe dream.

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