We all know the often repeated mantra, “People do business with people they Know, Like and Trust.” Have you ever considered what that means?
The Know, Like and Trust factors don’t just happen because you show up at lots of networking meetings every month. What actions do you consciously take to get to know other people? Remember the song from the play, The King and I, “Getting to Know You”?
Getting to know you
Getting to know all about you…
Getting to like you,
Getting to hope you like me.
The words in this song illustrate the back and forth of getting to know someone and hoping they like you back. And, this was way before FaceBook!
What are the steps you take to build solid business relationships?
During this past Monday’s Coffee with a Coach call, we explored the Know, Like and Trust factors. Developing the skill to ask good questions and listen to the other person’s answers, was suggested by one participant as a way to get to know other people.
Knowing how to engage in conversation is a basic networking skill worth developing. It certainly contributes to the Know, Like and Trust that we seek from our networking efforts.
The Trust part of KLT is the most desirable quality to possess. Surely if you are trusted, then there is no question that people will want to engage with you. The most common way trust is lost or damaged is to make promises and then not follow through. This happens in many ways, and if you know that your follow through is lacking and fail to take the necessary corrective measures, you will be routinely compromising that critical trust factor. Giving and keeping your word is imperative if you want to be known for having that KLT factor.
Watch the interview with Maria Johnson where we talk about the KLT factor.