Think back to how you met your best friend in elementary school. Maybe she pulled a chair up next to you while you were finger painting or maybe she gave you her chocolate milk in the lunchroom. That relationship started out by you being nurtured with small acts of kindness and this is the same way that you can build your business relationships online. You are creating word of mouth business every time you nurture your contacts via business social media sites like LinkedIn .  Are you ready to learn how to create and nurture business relationships online?

Here are several ways to make your business relationships grow to the next level:

  • Treat your business associates online like hidden treasure.Don’t pitch them your latest sales gimmick but behave in a way that shows you genuinely want to solve their personal or business dilemmas. If you offer someone a great way to solve a problem that costs them time or money, then it’s like giving your new friend your chocolate milk in the cafeteria.
  • Give away free information, product, or discounts.If you want people to pay you for your services, give them something to bite into first. Establish the crucial credibility for making the sale with your high-value freebies. Get them fascinated in your business know-how. Do it by giving away something that will make them want more.

Related: Two Great Ways To Determine ROI of Social Media

  • Remember personal things about your client like their birthday orwhere their parents vacationed when they mention it to you. Casually mention their family or hobbies and ask them sincerely about how they are.
  • Stroke your business client’s ego. Did they have a bad golf game? Tell them you’ve never been able to score half as good as their worst par on a good day. Make sure you don’t come across like a suck up.
  • Listen.If your clients ask why you don’t have _______ (fill in the blank) tell them you don’t know why you’ve never thought of that before. Tell them they are brilliant and that you are happy to provide that service or product within a reasonable amount of time.

Nurturing business relationships through business social media is easy. Treat them with the respect that you would give a life long friend. After all, you do want to keep your clients for life, don’t you?

What is your favorite way to nurture business relationships? Leave a message in the comments!

Author's Bio: 

MelonieDodaro, of Top Dog Social Media , is passionate about social media and helps business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals to use social media marketing to boost their visibility, attract new customers and increase their revenue. Dubbed by the media as Canada’s #1 LinkedIn expert and social media strategist, she’s also a regular contributor to several social media and business magazines and is a highly sought after speaker and trainer . To learn more about Melonie visit her web site at http://TopDogSocialMedia.com