With another Valentine’s Day here and gone, I spent some time reflecting on how this special day (at least for some) is related to what we do as relationship builders.
Buy a Gift of Appreciation
In both cases, it is important to buy gifts for people who you appreciate. So, with Valentine’s Day, you better make sure that you buy your special someone a gift on this day. It could be a gift of love such as flowers, candy, or a teddy bear or something that you know this person wants such as a book, CD, or shirt. With relationship building, it is a good idea, from time to time, that you buy gifts for certain people within your network. As you get to know people, you will have a good sense of their interests so you may buy items such as books, desk accessories, or clothing. The point is that you need to show your appreciation for certain people in your life so buying gifts is a great idea.
Invite Someone to a Special Meal
In both cases, it is important that you invite people to dine with you. With Valentine’s Day, you most likely will be having dinner with your significant other. With networking, inviting people to dinner is an important step to building relationships. Each week, you should make an effort to invite people to coffee, lunch, or dinner. Pick a new person to dine with each time so you can get to know multiple people much better. People will appreciate your invitation so make this is a priority in your relationship building toolkit.
Show That You Care
In both cases, it is extremely important to show that you care. Otherwise, you will have a hard time developing meaningful relationships. With Valentine’s Day, it is obvious but you should show that you care about the person you are spending time with by inviting to a meal, buying a gift, demonstrating good conversation, or smiling. With relationship building, it is crucial that you take an interest in people by acting sincere and caring about others. You can show this by asking good questions, paying attention in conversations, sending articles of interest, and being genuine. You need to continuously find ways to show that you truly care about individuals and their interests.
How else can you relate Valentine's Day to networking?
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