Most of us in business have plenty of “mates” we catch up with from time to time. You know the type…the people you have a coffee with after a networking event, the ones you chat to on LinkedIn, or the ones you bump into at every breakfast meeting.
And that’s fine. It’s nice to have business friends.
But business friends don’t grow your business. Business partners do.
So the question is, how do you turn those friendly catchups into something more valuable. A relationship that actually brings you clients?
Here are three simple steps.
1. Identify the Right People
Not every friend should be a partner. You need to look for the ones who work with the same kind of clients as you but don’t compete with you. In Asentiv, we call this “Having Access”.
An Electrician and a Plumber are a great example. They serve the same client but do different things. That’s a partnership right there.
If you can’t see a natural link, or ACCESS, then you’ve probably just got a coffee buddy…and that’s fine, but don’t waste time expecting business to flow.
2. Educate Each Other
Partnership only works if you both know how to look out for opportunities.
That means getting specific. Who exactly is your perfect client? What do they look like? How can your friend spot them in conversation? And most importantly, what’s the best way to introduce you?
Most people never get past the “let’s grab a coffee” stage because they never sit down and actually teach each other how to help.
Do that, and you’ll already be ahead of 90% of the business world.
3. Create a Routine
Partnerships don’t run on good intentions. They run on consistency.
That could mean a regular 1-2-1 (Business Development) catchup, checking in monthly, or even creating a joint strategy to help each other hit targets. The more structured you are, the easier it becomes to keep the relationship alive.
I’ve seen two business owners who were “mates” for years suddenly start meeting with intent. Within weeks, they were introducing each other to opportunities that had been sitting right under their noses the whole time.
Friends are great to have. But partners? They’ll help you build a business.
So next time you’re sitting down with one of your business friends, ask yourself…is this just a nice coffee, or could this be the start of a partnership that actually brings us both clients?
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