
- Make promises and always deliver (over deliver if at all possible). This does not have to be hard it could be as simple as committing to send an interesting article by the weekend and doing it the minute you get back to your desk (but never forgetting to send it)!
- Meet face to face. The phone is good, email is a good way to share some stuff but face to face is how you get to know people and they get to know you.
- Be truly interested in the other person.
- Find ways to bring additional value. Share interesting articles, data, information, market knowledge for example.
- Have regular contact ... without wasting anyone's time. (Touching base is a lazy approach ... you should have a valid business reason, and ideally an agenda for a meeting!)
- Never waste their time.
- Be positive ... keep your own negatives to yourself!
- Listen more than you talk.
- All large client organisations have valid governance concerns about undue influence of their buyers, so be mindful of these.
- It always helps a relationship to have some meetings under more informal settings. Breakfast, lunch, coffee, drinks after work or even a game of golf (even though I hate golf) can help people get to know each other better. (Be mindful of #9 above).