I realize you are the type of person who remains optimistic in your business regardless what the media is saying about the economy. However, let's get very real for a few minutes. How many of you find yourselves feeling a bit nervous right now around how much cash flow will be coming into your business over the next six to twelve months if more and more people buy into the economic psychology conditioning and start to feel nervous and stop the financial flow?



I am reminded of the fact that during the 1930s more millionaires were made than any other time in history. So with every perceived challenge there is also an energetic opportunity to create new and greater opportunities. The Japanese translation for the word crisis is "Opportunity."

What new and better opportunities could be lying right under your nose that you may be missing?

Years ago while working for a sales training company in Silicon Valley, I remember during slower times we were encouraged to pick up the phone and talk to our previous customers with a "I just called to check in with you" phone call. I was always happily surprised when several would respond, "I wondered when you would call again." It was a wake up call about the power of continued relationship-building.

Many of us often perform day to day at the pace of an ADD person, jumping on to the next "hot new lead" or looking for the next "sure-bet sale." Many business owners using the internet to market their products and services haven't talked to a live customer in years.

When is the last time you actually picked up the phone and connected with your past clients? How about past prospects who have yet to purchase from you?

Now is the perfect time to get back to the basics of relationship-building, offering a personalized touch, being available as a real live person who actually cares and connects with one's clients. It is still the fastest way to build trust, provide personalized service and create relationships that can last a lifetime. When you take the time to personally connect with people, it's not a matter of if they will work with you; it's a matter of when.

Here are 5 Tips to Expand Your Relationship Building and Increase Your Sales Results:

1. Make at least 3 -5 "I just called to say hi" phone calls today. If business is slow, this is the perfect time to reconnect with customers and prospects.

2. Drop a "thank you note" or card to 10 people this week and NO, emails don't count! Our society has lost the art of hand-written notes and cards. When you send them, you immediately set yourself and your business in an entirely new, favorable and unforgettable light.

I remember receiving a tiny box of Godiva Chocolates (4 pieces to be exact) with a Thank You note attached after meeting a man at a seminar. To this day, he stands out in my mind as a thoughtful person. Small tokens go a long way to building business relationships.

3. Call past clients to say hi and ask "Who do you know who could benefit from our services?" People are always generous and want to help others, if we just ask. We can learn from the real estate industry's "People Refer Up" sales statistic: "When referring friends and family, referrals often spend more money than the original customer."

4. Select 3 "good networkers" who also service your ideal clients. Make a date to sit down and discuss how you can become strategic alliances helping each other's business to grow.

5. Continue to expand your "Possibility & Prosperity Mindset" with continuing educational books, tapes and personal and professional development programs.

Here's Wishing You Relationship-Building Success!