Introduce a Customer to a New Opportunity

Are you using the power of your network to help your customers in new ways? By making strategic introductions, you can help your customers find new business, gain competitive advantages and open new doors. Follow these 6 steps to help your customers with strategic introductions:

1. Make a list of your most important customers and think about their needs and strengths.
2. Scan your list to determine those who can benefit from an introduction within your network: your friends (professional and personal), your mentors (leading thinkers and innovators), key vendors, and other customers.
3. Think about the personnel under your own roof--have you introduced key members of your team to your customers? It is your responsibility to ensure that customers have access to the full resources of your firm.
4. Consider how your customers can collaborate with each other in new ventures. Can your customers combine forces to introduce new offerings to the marketplace? Can they better serve their own customer base? Can they form an alliance to market to larger customers or expand to new geographies or approach new industry sectors?
5. Do your customers have special hobbies or interests? Who in your network can provide a new experience, offer access to the hard-to-get, or offer instruction?
6. Take 30 minutes each week to make strategic introductions and share your creative ideas.

An unexpected and creative introduction conveys to customers that you value and respect the relationship. This is not a special project--make it a regular part of your working relationship--make some magic for your customers.