How to Win Client Business When You Don't Know Where to Start

CHAPTER 19The Art of Keeping in Touch : Finding Opportunities to Be Thoughtful and Helpful

The deepest principal in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.

—William James, Harvard University professor, often considered the father of American Psychology

Wayne Baker is a sociologist at the University of Michigan and a leading scholar on the study of professional ecosystems. According to Baker, “If we create networks with the sole intention of getting something, we won't succeed. We can't pursue the benefits of networks; the benefits ensue from investments in meaningful activities and relationships.”

In 2011, Fortune magazine recognized Adam Rifkin as the most connected businessperson in the U.S. In a study of LinkedIn connections to the 640 most influential businesspeople, the research found that Rifkin was more connected to the business elite than any other person. When asked about his approach to building his ecosystem, Rifkin offered this:

My network developed little by little, in fact a little every day through small gestures and acts of kindness, over the course of many years – with a desire to make better the lives of the people I'm connected to.

If you think back on the people in your life you trust most, I bet you have known many of these individuals for years, perhaps decades. Trusting relationships are not built overnight, but they can begin on day one. Trust begins when we show others that we care, are interested in them, and want to be helpful.

And when ...