One of the most crucial aspects of being a strong sales person is the ability to build relationships.

Too often, do sales people focus solely on the transaction:

“What can I get from this person?”

“How will they affect my quota?”

Although this is the primary motivation for sales people, it should not show in their execution.

Sales is a partnership. Building relationships with prospects and clients is the best way to improve your business.

But how do you build real, lasting relationships in such a transactional world?

We’ve compiled 5 tips to help:

1. Don’t be all business.

This one is pretty simple, but important.

Making your emails more personal can be a gamechanger, such as asking “how are you?” or “how’s your day going?”

Showing that you want to get know your prospect as a person and not just means to an end will motivate them to work with you.

2. Do your prospect a favor… Of any size.

Most sales people tend to focus on identifying how their product or platform can solve a problem, or make life easier for their prospects.

Go beyond this.

See how you can personally help your prospects. Maybe they’re looking for a small favor, like an introduction to someone you’re connected to on LinkedIn.

Favors like this don’t cost anything, but can pay massive dividends down the line.

3. Put a face to a name.

Video conferencing and messaging is a great way to connect with your prospect.

Not only does it show that you are putting your full time and concentration into them, but it also allows you to get their undivided attention.

Think about it…

When you’re on a call, the person on the other end can’t see you.

So, what are you typically doing? We’re all guilty of it – scrolling through or drafting emails, trying to finish that time sensitive project, or even figuring out what to have for lunch.

Video conferencing eliminates those distractions for all participants, expediting the relationship building process.

4. Utilize your prospect’s taste buds.

People gotta eat.

Caffeine and food are staples in most peoples lives. They’re also something to bond over.

Think about your own day, when do people socialize most? It’s typically coffee and lunch breaks.

Make this connection with your prospects, by sending over a coffee shop gift card or surprising them with pizza – or some other food you know they like.

This will set you up for natural follow up questions:

“How did you enjoy your coffee?”

“What did you think of the pizza?”

These may sound simple, but they are a great way to reignite a stalled conversation.

5. Pick up the phone.

How many emails do you get in a day? And how many times has an email you sent been misunderstood?

For all the great aspects of e-communication – efficiency, ease of use and customizability – sometimes it falls a little short.

Tones can be misplaced or misunderstood, completely altering the meaning of phrase.

Take for instance, the phrase “If you could get this done by end of day, that would be great.”

If you read that in the voice of Bill Lumbergh from Office Space, you’re likely somewhat annoyed.

If, instead, you read it in the voice of Happy’s grandma in Happy Gilmore, you’re probably feeling pretty good, feeling as if the person on the other end is understanding.

To avoid these complications altogether, simply pick up the phone and have a conversation. This can seriously help alleviate any bumps in the relationship building process.

Simply put, when it comes to growing your business, relationships are of the utmost importance.

Utilize these few tips to help you in this endeavor.

Also, a sidenote: if you haven’t seen Office Space or Happy Gilmore, make sure they make it to the top of your movie queue.