How to build proper business relationships

Networking can feel demanding and sometimes “sad”, but implementing it into your daily life will increase comfort and help you bond with new people you meet.

My goal in every interaction with a new person is to come away with something that I can follow up with that person. It’s great to connect with something business related, but if I can’t find anything I’ll focus on something personal. Either way, it could end up being the impetus for a mentoring relationship.

Here are five tips from a recent article I shared with University of Michigan students:

1. Google is your friend, but don’t stalk people or tell them you know their children’s birthdays. LinkedIn, on the other hand, is fair game, and you should use anything you find there to connect and lead to other inquiries.

2. Have a jar full of conversation starters ready to go. Start by asking someone about their job or what they do for fun, or use one of your own life experiences to ask an open-ended question.

3. Your handshake will be your first impression in every interaction. You don’t want to be a vice, but you don’t want to be a dead fish.

4. Don’t be the first to get to the bar or punch table. Don’t be the last to leave. And if you find yourself sharing the number of drinks you’ve had in the number of hours you’ve been there, it’s time to leave.

5. Practice by having your friends ask you questions – it’s more absurd – and listen until it feels forced and rephrase your answers.

The most important lesson I’ve learned since graduating is ‘Hello, how are you?’ Everywhere you go and then waiting for the answer. Taking the time to be thoughtful, friendly, and asking people how they are makes a world of difference.