Building multiple bridges to greater opportunityRyan FlorioFortune 500 companies, effective communicator, alliances
A big part of my daily experience is spent interfacing with
other professionals, either within mortgage firms or firms in the
other industries I consult. I'm so grateful to have a career that
relies heavily upon networking and building relationships, because
connecting with people brings me a great deal of satisfaction. I
learned from a very young age that business is about people, after
all, and I am reminded of this continuously by the referrals that
are generated from my long-term clients and associates.
Recently, there's been a great deal of buzz from analysts who
claim that building a relationship in business is not merely a
feel-good exercise that we hope to benefit from someday. Wall
Street analysts are noting emerging trends that indicate a savvy
entrepreneur is one who forms multiple partnerships with other
professionals or companies to marry resources in the creation of
new services for their clients. A big-picture example of this
philosophy is reflected in the practice of Fortune 500 companies
that are actively developing partnerships with other companies to
capitalize from one another's technologies. A previous business
model might have shown a company's attempts to grow by focusing
merely on internal research and product/service development. That
is no longer the case, as companies today are recognizing the lost
opportunities involved in waiting. Instead, they are actively
seeking outside partnerships in new-business development. Google and Amazon are prime examples of companies
who use this approach as they aggressively forge ahead with
multiple alliances. It seems today that relationships in business
have grown to have new meaning.
Billion-dollar alliances have a lot to teach us about the future
of our business practice. It may be worthwhile to consider whether
you maintain the traditional, isolated position in our competitive
marketplace. If so, you might begin to examine whether you can
afford to remain autonomous. Is your skill set impacting your
ability to produce in any way? Are you an effective communicator,
and do you deliver information to you your clients in a way that is
impacting? Are you performing consistently and achieving steady
growth in your profits? If you have answered these questions
honestly and made a true assessment of your strengths and
weaknesses, you are now better equipped to create positive change
in your career. The first way to do this is to create partnerships
with individuals at work. I've noticed this is already happening in
shops I visit throughout the country, typically with two people
working in concert to provide a single customer their combined
services. In doing so, they are capitalizing on one another's
strengths and compensating for their weaknesses. The end result is
greater accountability and increased sales.
Another aspect of relationship I've been witnessing is the
formation of alliances with professionals from complementary
industries. Last week, I formed such an alliance with a financial
planner who will educate my mortgage clients about financial
vehicles that benefit new homeowners. Creating this relationship
will provide my clients the opportunity to expand their knowledge
base and gain credibility for their prospects and clients. The
added value I am providing them will enhance our combined business
efforts and offer another source of revenue generation.
Next time you are having lunch with your co-workers or
socializing at your local chamber of commerce happy hour, be
willing to look outside the box and consider how these individuals
might become bigger players in your life and impact your daily
business experiences. By creating mergers with other professionals
and building bridges to other industries, you will find multiple
opportunities for unprecedented business growth.
Ryan Florio is president and CEO of Cleveland-based SpecialClient.com, a
Web-based company that offers automated Client Relationship
Programs as a vehicle for client retention. He may be reached at
(888) 863-6276 or e-mail
[email protected].
