How Do You Leverage Good Ideas?

Have you ever met someone new and began to think about people that you can connect them to, potential clients, alliances or new markets for them?

• What do you do with those insights?
• Why would they listen to you?
• How do you leverage good ideas?

I’m often in this situation (purposely) and have created  an easy formula to maximize those ideas and turn them into beautiful business relationships.

3 Steps to Building Relationships & Influence Through Your Great Ideas

1. Don’t “dump” all your thoughts when you’ve first met. You can be passionate or enthusiastic, but ask to set up a meeting—coffee, or a conference call—where you can meet one on one and focus on delivering your insight. This is a pre-qualifying move. If they aren’t buying into a potential relationship, they’re not ready to receive your gifts at this point. Set up a follow up meeting.

2. Think it through. Good Ideas are viable ideas with purpose, possibility, planning, execution and results. You may not know everything about their business but before you open your mouth or presume anything, you should think things through enough to know what makes sharing a contact a good connection, what can they share or bring to the table, how could each party benefit? Same thing goes for sharing potential customers, strategic alliances or suggesting new product lines or markets. Deliver a Viable Idea with defined value and strategy for execution.

3. It’s not about you. You are purposeful and strategic about building your relationship and that makes you a natural ally and trusted partner. You’ll be there to advise about your services when they need you.

Great Ideas Demonstrate Value

The key to building influence and relationships through your good ideas is that the first great thoughts you share with this potential business alliance or client demonstrate value without putting yourself first.

Give these a try the next time you’re in a situation and have met someone new. They need your insight but be purposeful about how you deliver them and make it a mutually beneficial relationship where you can Leverage your good ideas.