Business is always personal

There’s a saying that goes, “it’s not personal, it’s just business.”

Some may think this cold hearted, ruthless mantra is necessary for success; that our personal feelings have no place in the dog eat dog world of business.

But I think that’s bullshit. It ignores an essential truth – that good or bad or indifferent, personal relationships are at the foundation and the cutting edge of everything in business. Think about it – who would you rather work for or do business with: a belligerent know it all who always has to be right or a professional operator with high standards that’s willing to be flexible?

It’s always personal in business; after all, we’re not robots. In the long run, the good guys do win and I’m now going to show you three key reasons why being conscious of your personal relationships will help you win friends and achieve business success.

Building relationship is critical to long-term success

In the battleground of the business world, especially amongst solo businesses; you need support. By building excellent relationships with clients, staff and people in your network, you will create a powerful network of allies that can support you over many years. And by seeking out like-minded people and developing good relationships, your network will grow and bring new opportunities.

Your reputation is everything

Benjamin Franklin once said, “It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it”. In today’s landscape, where reviews are spread like wildfire over social media, that couldn’t be truer.

Reputation is perhaps the most powerful force in your business career, and it must be cultivated and protected – anything that can harm your reputation should be cut out while anything that enhances it should be turned up. Your reputation is more important than the suits or dresses you wear, the lettering style of your business card or what view your office has.

The bottom line is that if people don’t like you, they won’t buy from you and they definitely won’t refer people towards you. Your reputation could very well decide whether a signature is placed on the dotted line or not.

Trust is the most critical element of selling

Finally, at the most crucial stage of business – the sale – it’s all about trust. You can have the best product or service in the world, but if the prospective client doesn’t trust you or your team, it’s over. A good reputation enhanced by respectful working relationships and a wide network of contacts will bring that trust, which wins the sale, and brings you success.

It’s a jungle out there, and we all have to support ourselves. It can be easy to just say business isn’t personal and act ruthlessly, using that mantra to justify certain behaviours or actions. But if long-term success is what you’re after, rather than short-term gains, only by making business truly personal will you prosper.