In the world of business, the art of schmoozing and being able to have your associates enjoy dealing with you is an integral part of success.
Being able to demonstrate that you're trustworthy and an above-board individual or business can pay dividends in the relationships and deals you can make.
Of course, being someone's favourite person to deal with doesn't just happen overnight, nor does it happen without putting a fair bit of effort into the endeavour.
If you're looking to stand out in the business world with how you act, you should keep these things in mind:
Put customers' interests first.
If you supply goods or services to someone, they will be much more likely to do repeat business with you if they feel as if you're on their side with regard to their growth.
Understand their concerns and what they are trying to accomplish by working with you and do everything in your power to make everything go smoothly for those concerns.
If someone is buying from you to then resell, they should feel as if you're legitimately invested in their business continuing to do well, almost as if they were a separate yet vital part of your business itself.
Be consistent and do what you say.
In this regard, under-promising and over-delivering can help you out. When you make it clear what your expectations are with regards to how you'll keep up your end of any business relationship, and then follow through with them to the T, it allows people to get a good idea of the things you stand for and what they can assume will happen moving forward with you.
Anything you say or promise needs to be delivered. Your words and your actions need to always line up. Once you've delivered a certain level of service to a client, that should be the level of service you deliver each and every time afterward.
Corporate Gifting
Just doing what you say you're going to do can be most of the primary legwork of building gainful relationships, but going above and beyond to make yourself truly stand out will push you over the edge as a worthwhile person to deal with.
Corporate gifts are a great way to do this, but the timing does matter. After a particularly large deal or around a certain holiday, customized corporate gifts not only let your affiliates know you're thinking of them. If your logo is emblazoned on a particularly useful item, then they will see it frequently, keeping you at the forefront of their mind.
Conclusion
Being able to make lasting and meaningful business relationships is an absolute necessity if you want your business to really take off. You could have the best product in the world with virtually no downsides, but if getting in contact with you and having to put up with you is a chore to your clients, chances are you won't be getting a lot of repeat business.
Always be mindful of the goals and needs of others in your business dealings, and you'll be a step ahead of everyone else simply trying to do the bare minimum.