Building Lasting Relationships

Networking is not just going to an event with a bunch of business owners. It’s about relationships you make and keep. This next idea comes from a book that I read a few years ago that really changed the way I understood how we view and build relationships.

“Never Eat Alone” is a bestselling book by Keith Ferrazzi, published in 2005. The book provides practical advice and strategies for building professional relationships and networking effectively. The central idea of the book is that the key to success in business and life is to build strong relationships and a strong network.

Ferrazzi argues that networking is not about collecting as many business cards as possible, but about building meaningful connections with people who can help you achieve your goals. He stresses the importance of reaching out to people and making an effort to build relationships, even when it may not seem convenient or comfortable.

Some key takeaways from the book include:

• The importance of networking: Ferrazzi emphasizes that networking is not just for job seekers, but for anyone looking to advance their career, achieve their goals, or build their personal brand.
• Building relationships: Ferrazzi argues that building relationships is not just about getting something from others, but also about giving and helping others in their own pursuits.
• The power of kindness: Ferrazzi stresses the importance of being genuine and kind when building relationships and networking.
• The value of follow-ups: Ferrazzi encourages readers to make a habit of following up with people they have met to strengthen their relationships and keep the lines of communication open.
• The importance of giving: Ferrazzi argues that the most successful networkers are those who give generously of their time, expertise, and resources to help others.

“Never Eat Alone” provides practical tips and strategies for building a strong network and advancing one’s career through meaningful relationships. The book encourages readers to make networking a priority and to approach it as an opportunity to build relationships, give, and help others.

Since reading this book, here are some of the things we’ve done differently.

When we set our annual goals, one of the goals is to determine how many one-on-one lunches we plan to have with people. These one-on-one lunches aren’t necessarily with people we can hopefully manage their investments one day. A lot of the times we meet with people to build a relationship with them, so at some point we can be introduced to their network.

We also build out our own networking events. I have invited smaller groups of people over to my home for dinner. Another example of events we’ve hosted is a lavish beach party of 30-50 professionals. We’ve also rented out a banquet room at a high-end resort, charged a breakeven fee, and invited 20-30 or so professionals for a “speed meeting” event (speed dating but for networking).

You can get creative your own way. Be yourself. Make some friends, lasting connections, and grow your business.