How do you build and maintain strong relationships with your key accounts and partners?

Listen, folks, it's critical to understand the needs and goals of your key accounts and partners. To build and maintain strong relationships, you have to communicate with them regularly, learn about their industry and market trends, personalize your approach to their unique needs, and look for ways to collaborate. By doing so, you can build trust, add value, and foster innovation and growth for both parties. So, invest in these strategies and watch your relationships take off!

I think Needs Analysis at the beginning of the relationship really sets you up for success. Understanding the goals and expectations allow you to position solutions for the next 12 - 18 months based of the information gathered. Monthly check ins with clear progress points ensure value and agreement and shows the focus on the agreed goals Good, honest communication is what is needed to make it work, and strong relationships with your champions and advocates will ensure the partnership continues moving forward.

I think it's important to understand your best client's aspirations, goals, and critical concerns. However, in the end, it's all about shared values. Everyday conversations come quickly when you share the same values as your key relationships. Most key relations occur because you initially shared the same values. Shared values are measurable.

Building and maintaining strong relationships with key accounts and partners is all about consistent communication, delivering on promises, understanding their needs, and being responsive. It's a 2-way street, where trust and reliability are the foundations of success. Keep communication open, be proactive in addressing concerns, and always look to add value to the partnership. It takes time, but it's worth the effort.

Commitment and Contributions To maintain a strong relationship and trust, we need to provide contributions. Because commitment is what we agreed for. But contributions that we can provide beyond the agreements.

Strategy that helped me get many Influencer clients like John Lee Dumas of Entrepreneurs on Fire: Make a list of 10 people you'd like to build a relationship with this month: potential clients or Decision Makers. Research which social media platform they use personally. Most ppl have one platform where they are active personally. Their team takes care of other platforms. Everyday, make 30 minutes to write a well-thought-of, long form comments to their posts.

Communicating regularly, as well as sharing your progress, performance, and plans, is incredibly important. Transparency is very critical, as well as concerns about your industry as well as your clients. I recall distinctly when working for a very noted broker-dealer became increasingly difficult as they advocated abandoning ethics and respect for my clients for a quick and inappropriate sale. When discussing this, my best relationships advocated for my best interests and helped immensely with some new employer or self-employment opportunities. Those same relationships have remained thirty and forty years later. Relationships like this are priceless.

For me, the regular communication is key to success in every relationship: - you will always be up-to-date - feedback is provided frequently However, too frequent communication could lead to dispersed focus and you may be easily distracted.

Get to know them personally. Married? Kids? Pets? Hobbies? There's a fine balance here but when you show you are a human being and care about them by showing genuine interest it can go a long way to loyalty. Start by sharing a little about yourself too, invite them to follow you on social or simply go connect with them. Little nudges and reminders that you appreciate them can make a big impression. Tell them how much you appreciate them and the opportunity to work with them and what you envision for the future.

It is so critical to never overpromise and under-deliver. The standard value relationships will stay with you long-term because they trust you. I found in business to always uphold that trust.

Of course in a modern business era you cannot always guarantee delivering on your promises. Sometimes life happens and you fail the expectations of your key accounts. However, you should make your best to avoid such situations and always perform for 100% and more

Some businesses get caught up in offering incentives to new customers when in a growth phase and forget their current customers in these deals. Current accounts will see your businesses ads and feel deceived when a new customer can land a better deal than a customer who has been with your company for a decade. When discussing and deciding on new promotions your business is going to run, offer these promotions to your long term business accounts and partners as well. Maybe even offer a better promotion or something extra to show that you really value their business.

To further strengthen your relationships, look out for opportunities to introduce your key clients and partners to your network. There could be synergies that help them solve other pain points or make your work with them easier. Avoid focusing solely on your “bit” and instead, think more broadly about connections that can add value to your key clients and partners.