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D32 is a premium business growth network where business leaders and experts in Perth and across Australia form meaningful relationships so they can leverage the time, contacts and activities of a vast network. D32 supports the little guys (and gals) and the 7-8-figure businesses. We’re a community that has each others’ backs. This podcast is about all things business, entrepreneurship and connectiom.
Relationships
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Kingsley: [00:00:00] Welcome back to episode three. I believe we're on Dean. Well, of, the district 32 podcast. Dean, great to have you back in the East Coast again.
Dean: Yeah, it's great to be back. Feels ages as I've been here so it's, uh, could be working here. It does feel like a long time. Yeah.
Kingsley: You're looking good. You're looking, you're getting all yourself healthy and fit.
Yeah.
Dean: Focusing on the fitness and, what I'm meeting, so, losing a few pounds.
Kingsley: Ah, good for you. Now you mentioned a topic, 'cause we talked earlier about what are we gonna talk about? Yeah. And I love the first topic for today that you talked about. Yeah. Which is, relationships in business. Yeah.
Because I, I. I personally think we don't take enough notice of our relationships, whether they're at home, personal or business. And you were running through off camera just some really cool points about relationships.
Dean: Yeah. Like it's a word. Actually, Peter, both Lorraine, she was presenting the last couple of weeks is intent was the word she used about building relationships.
And [00:01:00] I think no, nothing happens unless you take control of it in terms of relationship, if you're waiting for. The other person to ring you back. You're living in hope and that's never a good way to be in terms of say, business development sales. You wanna be in control. So, so what I suppose the question people should ask of what, what is your intent in terms of building relationships?
It doesn't just happen. And , as I was saying earlier on, it's a bit like when you met your wife or partner, it wasn't, Hey, that was a great day, let's get married. It took several dates, meeting the family, meeting the friends, and kind of making sure you're a good fit for each other and that takes time.
As well, , and I find business relationships is no different. I suppose in Sage we call it touchpoint. So what are the touch points you've got, to build relationships? It's not a case of you meet someone once and, yeah, they love me. They're gonna, make introductions, they wanna do a collaboration, whatever.
So it takes time, like any relationship.
Kingsley: So when you talk about intent, and I, I love that. I think that's an awesome thing. I think we should be more intentional with more stuff. But when it comes to relationships. How do you make [00:02:00] building the relationship
Dean: intentional? Yeah, so if you kind of think, if you met someone for the first time, let's just say it was a networking event, I.
And you kinda get , a really go a gut feeling with someone. Oh yeah. He seems like a nice guy or, or gal. And, I like what they do. So the question, ask yourself, what, what happens next? Because if there's potential synergies, opportunities there, you've gotta kind of initiate it. I I would never wait for the other person if I can kind of see you.
I really kinda like that individual. I'd like to. To meet them again. So, so I mean, we all don't have time for coffees every week and zoom meetings, so, so I mean, it's a combination of, for me, it'd be a combination of face-to-face, zoom, stroke, telephone and automation through all the good stuff you can do and newsletters and stuff.
So it's kind of the question you ask yourself, what happens next? So if you met someone for the first time and you go, I really kinda like them, and, there's potential. Both ways, for benefits. What are you gonna do over the next 12 months? So, I mean, even if you map it out on paper, okay, I'll connect on LinkedIn, meet them for [00:03:00] a coffee, get them on my newsletter, and vice versa.
I mean, just four or five things straight off the bat that aren't hard to do. But how is someone gonna remember you in six months, nine months, 12 months if one of their clients needs your product and service? And the onus is on you. It's not on the other person to remember your name, face, email, phone number.
So it's important, I think, to take control for building relationships.
Kingsley: So are there different levels of relationship? Obviously some of those are automated things that are happening that goes out to everybody. Some of the things you mentioned are more one-to-one type of. Type of interactions. Yeah.
Do you sort of. When you meet somebody, categorize them. I think you'll be up here. So I'm gonna be more personal. Yeah. Do you, start it a little bit slower? Yeah. How do you sort of know where to put them?
Dean: Suppose I suppose initially I don't distinguish, I mean, I've met people through, I probably, , I, networking for me has been the biggest strategy over the last three, two years.
Everyone is equal. , so I look to meet them. Build some credibility, and even try [00:04:00] meet them on for a coffee or zoom. And then they're kind of, they're in that kind of, I suppose, pipeline, for nurturing and for educating 'em on what I do and why I'm different. And I do stuff like the phone for, I.
They, I call 'em social calls. A quick two minute call just to keep in touch. Again, I always advise people go to your call like, I could meet you today and go, do you know what? I should have a chat with Kingsy. We could do a joint event or a joint venture. So I'm gonna give him a call next week. Or else I could meet you.
Dean: Say, you know what, he's got some stuff bubbling. I'll give him a call in three months. 'cause I don't want him to think I'm stalking him or on his back straight away. So I'd always say to people, go, go with your gut feeling. But always, always have a plan because, I, for me, I always feel there's opportunity.
Anyone near me, everyone, they might never be your client or customer, but they have a contact list, a client base, and if they know you well enough to, or you've built a decent level of trust and they know you, you can deliver what you say. Potentially they could be feeding, introductions to you.
So, I suppose an issue, I don't distinguish, but I mean, we all have kind of, I suppose, [00:05:00] critical, maybe professions or sectors that could be referral partners. So. If you come across those people, obviously try and fast track that because, that leverage could have such a massive impact, on your business.
I suppose for me as well, I kind of, I look at activity as a KPI, so kind of when you get to the end of the week, you, we hear, you hear in business all the time, it's all about relationships and all that good stuff, which it is. We're all in the people business. Absolutely. But do you hold yourself accountable?
So at the end of the week, do you say, okay, well. Here's how I interacted with my contact list or client base. Here's what I've added to the, to the pipeline in terms of new contacts. I think very few, people in business do, and even salespeople, professional salespeople, don't kind of have, have that measurement.
So give yourself a KPI, even if you're starting out at a low level, initially ha have some type of KPI around. How am I building relationships? How am I nurturing relationships?
Kingsley: That's really cool when you think of that because it's not something we do often put KPIs around. We might go, how many phone calls have I done?
Yeah. Yeah. [00:06:00] How many emails, how many social posts have I done or whatever. But as far as building intentionally, building relationships. Yeah. That, that's absolute gold. Yeah, I know. I don't think it happens as much anymore, but there's people in networking groups where you'll see them. They'll just buzz around.
Yeah. Give everyone a card. Hi, , I'm Joe and I do this. Yeah. Great. What do you do? Yeah, great. Hi, I am Joe and I do, and they're just out there to. To get their name out, thinking that if everybody knows them, despite the fact it's bad relationship interaction to start with, they'll want to deal with them.
Yeah. How do you, get it from, or when you're meeting people and building relationships from that? I'm trying to sell myself to a, you know. I wanna build a relationship with you and turn it around a little bit.
Dean: Yeah, I suppose like, I mean, it's like any relationship. You, before you, you, you, you gotta, make the connection, the human connection first.
So, so for me, making that connection is, I focus on the other person. I'm asking 'em questions about, life in general as well as what they do, what their business, what, [00:07:00] what, what's the challenges, what's the obstacles? I'm looking to add value. How can, how can I help them? 'cause we all appreciate what it's in life or in business.
If someone can help us, that really builds trust. If my car broke down in the middle of nowhere and I rang you kings, yeah, I've just broke down and no petrol. And you came like, I feel kinda morally obliged. Geez, you went outta his way. I want to return that favor. And I don't see any difference in business.
Every one of us has a challenge, in business or an obstacle or every one of us is looking for an opportunity. And I think it, it's not that it's not that hard to help someone. If you shared with me the top two, three obstacles in your business, I'm sure I know someone who has that expertise to help you.
If you're looking for opportunity as you need to meet certain sectors professionals, I'm sure I would know someone and if I didn't, I could go ask someone, Hey, I know this good guy, Kingsley, he's looking to me such and such in sector. Can you help me out? So it's given a bit people a bit of time, and I think people really like.
It really cements a relationship, but also [00:08:00] I think it pushes the trust level up a few notches as well. And that's what it's all about. If someone, if you've done someone a good turn, in business, they will look out for you nine times outta 10. They, they will look out for you.
Kingsley: So it sounds like you are, instead of you trying to sell somebody, you are actually going, how can I help you?
Yeah. And using that as your boun Yeah. Your foundation for the relationship.
Dean: Yeah, and the, and beauty of it as well. Kingsley is like, if you're looking for a particular sector, say as a connection and I'm introducing to whoever that is, I'm actually, it's a double win for me 'cause I'm actually helping nurture that other relationship.
So it just has such a knock on effect. Like, mo most of say over, over the years, my, lead generation is word of mouth or referrals. And that's because I, I do a lot on the other side of, as in, like a focus. If I go to a networking event, my personal KPI is, I'm giving three introductions, providing people share enough information.
Yeah. Yeah. At the event of what they're looking for. But I'm listening and I'm taking notes, 'cause I might know someone on the spot, so I need to reflect maybe later on. But that is A-K-P-I-I set for [00:09:00] myself every networking event I'm at, even though it's not a district 32 1.
Kingsley: Oh, not a district 32, 1.
Wow. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So it's really interesting you said that and you put intentionality with building the relationships. Yeah. And for you it's about you are there and listening and I think one of the things I like to talk about is being present. A hundred percent. Yeah. And that's obviously what you are doing when you are there.
You are present with that person. You're understanding, you're hearing, but you're understanding them. And going, okay, I am with you, but at the same time I'm thinking, how can I help you build a relationship with someone else or move you onto with somebody else who you can collaborate with or something like that.
Dean: Yeah. I'll tell you, it's, you're a hundred percent right in being present. I was doing some research on sales recently, and I can't acknowledge who, where I got the statistic from was, well, 40, 40% of where a sale falls and is in communication. So imagine you've got an introduction, you've done a great presentation on your product or service, and you're into the handling objections if you're not present.
Well, isn't, the [00:10:00] miscommunication in that segment of the interaction? You've lost the sale. You might have the best in the market. You're presented well, but because you're, maybe you have me in present, maybe the tone isn't right. Maybe the body language isn't right. 'cause people knowing you kind of zone out.
Yeah. Most of the time. And that just flicker of not being present, can just sabotage all the hard work you, you've done. So to being present is such a vital part because. You're invested in, in, in that conversation and in that individual. So, but, and people pick it up subconsciously, like, we're not, none of us are, well I'm not anyway, body language expert, but you can pick stuff up , from through people's body language.
You just know, don't you,
Kingsley: you,
Dean: you just know.
Kingsley: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So to summarize that, what would you say are three steps that people can do to be intentional? Yeah. About building business relationships?
Dean: Yeah. So, take control. The onus is on you. It's not on the individual. Maybe the other individual's, introvert or shy.
So take control, go with intent. You intend building relationships, take, and again, it comes back to that taking control. [00:11:00] I suppose. The third thing then is have a plan. So ask yourself what happens next if you met someone through an introduction. Through, someone in Quoing through your website or you met about networking, what happens next Where you, how are you gonna build that relationship?
What are the touch points? And again, it's for me, it's a combination of using technology for automation, but also we're in the people business. It has to be personal, whether that's, a coffee, a zoom call, a telephone call, whatever it is. Don't, don't hide behind the keyboard.
Kingsley: That is absolute gold.
Dean, thank you so much. Cheers.
Dean: Oh, been a pleasure. Thanks a million.