How to Keep Business and Friendship on the Perfect Level

I have been in sales for six years now and have made many great friendships as well as numerous business partnerships. When I came into the sales portion of my career I wanted to really focus on building relationships, so that's what I set out to do. I was (and still am) a young motivated "ready to change the world" sales person, as my experience and product knowledge was weaker than most, relationships was all I had to go on.

As I went out to conquer the sales world I started building relationships, I built so many relationships that I had trouble keeping up with the social side of doing business. I soon learned that I had made a mistake in my approach. Yes, all my customers were happy but they were happy with me more than the company I worked for, which in many cases is fine but I was there for one reason and one reason only, to make sales. I had to make changes, so this is what I did.

I first took the initiative to really get to know my products inside and out, I also got the training I needed to actually sell my products, not just myself. My biggest change was to really re-focus my friendships to business partnerships.

I now compare my business partnerships with my children, it sounds strange but hear me out. I really want to be a friend to my children, but I learned really quickly that this approach can get you in trouble really fast. Sure, I want my kids to be able to talk to me and "be cool" with me, but there has to be a boundary that we both know they can't cross. It's the same way with customers, if you just have the "friendship" you will be taken advantage of over and over again. You have to be RESPECTED in what you do, if you just have friendships you won't get very far unless you can prove to your customers that you do know your stuff and you can perform the job that they need you to, after that is established, then you can really start enjoying the relationship as a whole.

I learned real fast that there is a delicate process in building relationships and it is crucial in the sales industry. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying don't become friends with your customers, just make sure they know why you are there. If you don't, before too long they will be calling you for tickets to sporting events and not to give you a purchase order.