How To Turn Relationships Into New Client Revenue

If you want to attract well-paying customers, it pays to be patient and play the long game. Think of a marathon, not a 100 meter dash.

“Building a valuable community is not for the impatient. It’s a lifetime journey,” Meredith said Jacobson, a consultant in the influencer marketing industry, during a phone interview.

She said while there’s nothing wrong with identifying and following someone you want in your circle, it’s important not to treat people like prospects. Reaching out to someone only when you need something diminishes the value of the relationship.

“If someone adds me on LinkedIn and immediately jumps into their sales pitch, I assume they’re not interested in building a real relationship and I’m just part of a numbers game for them,” Jacobson said.

Jacobson is the founder of We Are Boosters, a community of freelance influencer marketers. She has curated a community of over 50 freelance influencer marketers, including those responsible for creating and executing programs for brands such as Sephora Collection, Nespresso and Netflix. As an influencer freelancer, Jacobson has supported influencer programs herself for Sonic, Live Nation, and Ovia Health.

Here is her four-step formula for relationship success:

Step 1: Nurture existing relationships and consistently build new ones.

Step 2: Identify your needs and your options.

Step 3: Rely on your strengths and their needs.

Step 4: Diversify when possible.

“Once you gain people’s trust, it’s safe to approach them respectfully to explore the possibility of collaborating on a business opportunity,” added Jacobson.

As with Jacobson, I believe clarity over wisdom. Everyone is so busy today that you need to clear the clutter. Here are some of Jacobsen’s tips:

Be in front. “No one wants to feel tricked or manipulated in a business conversation,” Jacobson said. “If you have a pitch, instead of just jumping right in, ask them if they’d be willing to hear about it. If they say no, respect it and move on — don’t beg them or act desperate.”

Be clear about how you envisage their support. “If you’re looking for someone to hire you, list your strengths, explain why you’re a good fit for the job, and explain how your process works,” Jacobson advised. “If you’re looking for them to help introduce you to other people, be specific about the types of people you’d like to target customers to meet.”

If you are building a referral network, be clear about how you will make money. “If you end up having to charge for something that was previously free, consider grandfathering existing members of your community, be transparent with them before the changes, and make sure the value you’re giving them.” offer them is significant enough to keep them engaged,” Jacobson said.

keep it short “In a first conversation, less is more,” Jacobson added. “Start with a quick gut check to gauge their interest and be prepared to follow up with more details once they’ve confirmed.”

Jacobson gave one final piece of advice.

“Your relationships will be much stronger if you set appropriate boundaries and know when to turn down opportunities that don’t suit you,” she advised. “You will gain more respect and more future opportunities from your relationships if you stay true to your strengths.”