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Relationships in business are not some kind of touchy-feely optional extra – they are what makes a business thrive, they’re what bring in new customers and keep old ones coming back. And just like other relationships they are often neglected, or at least, taken for granted. This week’s guaranteed-under-two-minute read has tips and tools to help you grow and nurture business relationships which will stand you in good stead.

Article of the week
With so many one-day offer sites available to promote your business, Cornelia Luethi explains why they are both brilliant and terrible for your business, and why you must turn these fleeting contacts into long-term relationships.

Also popular:
How to build great business relationships and how to grow your business networks using LinkedIn.

Tip of the week
One way to leverage networking is to seek out people who are key influencers of your potential customers – in other words, when you are networking with them, you are not only building a relationship with the individual but potentially finding a way to also build a relationship with all those in their network who look to them for guidance and leadership. You’ll need to bring something to the table too – perhaps a real benefit or great offer. And once you have the trust of these influencers, treat the relationship like gold. They can just as easily influence people against you should the tide turn.

Hot spot of the week
The Rugby World Cup is a great opportunity to develop relationships with business people from overseas and to expand your networks further. The government is helping to facilitate this process with its NZ2011 web site, encouraging local business owners to host a business person from overseas. Check out some ideas and get involved here.

Attention: business coaches, consultants and advisors
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