Why Relationships Matter
I’m a firm believer in schmoozing … listening to and speaking with others to establish bonds of trust. Early on in my career as an entrepreneur I had a very solid prospect that was getting hit with a crippling rent increase. He felt forced to move his small business out of the area, which meant I could lose his business. But I had spoken with the company’s security guard at each visit so I knew he lived in the neighborhood. I asked him what he knew about the state representative there. He knew that the woman representing that area was devoted to the education of children, but not much more.
For me, it was enough. When I called her and told her that the company was moving to an area with substantially lower taxes and taking its employees with it, she was concerned, of course. When I started talking about the effects of lost property taxes on the school system, I could almost hear her sit up straight.
Before the legislature quit for vacation, she had secured assistance for the company which allowed it to remain. It’s still there today, by the way (although much larger). And they’re still one of my best customers. The lesson is a simple one. I knew the security guard because I always stopped and chatted with him when I called on the company. But by schmoozing – building a bond of trust with the gentleman – he was able to help sort out a thorny problem. That’s schmoozing … you can’t tell when it will pay off, but you can be sure it will.
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