How do you add creativity to your relationship building?

1 1. Use storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful way to capture attention, convey emotions, and create memorable impressions. When you share stories with your contacts, you show your personality, values, and experiences, which can foster trust and rapport. You can also use stories to illustrate your ideas, goals, and achievements, which can inspire and persuade others. To use storytelling effectively, choose stories that are relevant, engaging, and authentic, and practice your delivery.

2 2. Ask open-ended questions

Open-ended questions are questions that invite more than a yes or no answer, such as "What are you passionate about?" or "How do you cope with stress?" Asking open-ended questions can help you learn more about your contacts, their needs, interests, and challenges, and their perspectives and opinions. Open-ended questions can also stimulate curiosity, creativity, and conversation, as they encourage your contacts to share more and explore different angles. To ask open-ended questions, use words like who, what, where, when, why, and how, and avoid leading or judgmental questions.

3 3. Give genuine compliments

Giving genuine compliments is a simple but effective way to show appreciation, recognition, and respect for your contacts. Compliments can boost their self-esteem, confidence, and motivation, and make them feel valued and noticed. Giving genuine compliments can also enhance your reputation, credibility, and likability, as you demonstrate your kindness, generosity, and awareness. To give genuine compliments, be specific, sincere, and timely, and avoid flattery or exaggeration.

4 4. Share your hobbies and interests

Sharing your hobbies and interests can help you add some fun and variety to your relationship building. Hobbies and interests can reveal your passions, skills, and personality traits, which can make you more attractive and relatable to your contacts. Sharing your hobbies and interests can also help you discover common ground, spark new conversations, and create opportunities for collaboration or socialization. To share your hobbies and interests, be enthusiastic, curious, and open-minded, and avoid being boring or boastful.

5 5. Offer your help and expertise

Offering your help and expertise can help you add value and generosity to your relationship building. Help and expertise can solve problems, provide guidance, and create solutions for your contacts, which can make them grateful, loyal, and satisfied. Offering your help and expertise can also showcase your skills, knowledge, and experience, which can increase your influence, reputation, and credibility. To offer your help and expertise, be proactive, helpful, and respectful, and avoid being pushy or arrogant.

6 6. Experiment with different formats and channels

Experimenting with different formats and channels can help you add diversity and novelty to your relationship building. Formats and channels can include emails, phone calls, video calls, texts, social media, blogs, podcasts, newsletters, webinars, events, and more. Experimenting with different formats and channels can help you adapt to different preferences, situations, and goals, and reach out to more people in more ways. Experimenting with different formats and channels can also help you test new ideas, learn new skills, and create new experiences. To experiment with different formats and channels, be flexible, creative, and strategic, and avoid being spammy or intrusive.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?