January invites a reset. A new calendar, a clean slate, and a natural opportunity to be more intentional about how we show up—especially with prospects and clients.
At its core, building meaningful business relationships has very little to do with tactics and everything to do with purpose. Your values and intentions should always center on authenticity, trust, empathy, and a genuine commitment to putting the other person’s interests first.
Turning strangers into friends—and friends into customers—requires work. Real work. It requires presence, curiosity, and a willingness to serve before you sell. If you’re willing to do that, here are seven practical ways to begin cultivating relationships that last.
1. Get to know them
Before you ever reach out, do your homework. Learn everything you can about the person and their company. Spend time online—Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Pinterest—wherever they show up.
Pay attention to the language they use. Notice their mission, vision, and the image they’re trying to project. What do they value? What do they seem proud of?
Most importantly, look for alignment. What do you have in common? Where do your values intersect? The goal isn’t to fake familiarity—it’s to build real understanding. People can feel the difference.
2. Ask yourself: How will you make their life better?
This is where clarity matters. It’s not about you. If you can’t honestly articulate how you will improve their world, why are you calling on them?
Yes, most clients want more sales, more profit, and less stress—but don’t assume. Get curious. Get specific. What problem will you help them solve? What outcome will you deliver?
Until you can clearly define the transformation you offer, you’re not ready to ask for their time.
3. Keep it real
Assuming you’re a good person with ethics who genuinely cares about others—be that person. There’s no place for manipulation, pressure, or guilt in relationship-based selling.
You should feel good about what you’re recommending. It should feel like a natural next step for both of you. If it doesn’t, pause.
People can spot a phony or a sleaze from a mile away. Don’t be either.
4. Create real value
Yes, it sounds like a cliché—and no, it isn’t easy. Creating value means giving before you get.
Share ideas. Offer insights. Pass along best practices. When you leave a meeting, ask yourself: Are they better off than when I arrived?
Have you given them something useful they can apply immediately? Have you helped them see their challenge differently? The fastest way to build trust is to be genuinely helpful—without keeping score.
5. Become a storyteller
Stories engage both the brain and the heart. They allow prospects to imagine a future where their problems fade and better outcomes appear.
A good story invites them into a movie—one where they are the hero and you are the guide. There’s something primal about storytelling; it creates emotional connection and shared meaning.
Develop this skill, and people will always want to hear more from you.
6. Make it easy to work together
Look at the process through their eyes. What obstacles might get in the way? Remove them before they appear.
Be clear about next steps. Explain how you’ll work together, how you’ll communicate, and how you’ll help them look good internally. Anticipate their processes, approvals, and preferences.
Clarity creates confidence. The easier you are to work with, the easier it is for them to say yes.
7. Don’t take anything personally
Sometimes it won’t work out—and that’s okay. If you’ve created a thoughtful solution and offered it with integrity, feel good about your effort.
Desperation is always obvious, and always unattractive. Create something meaningful, offer it sincerely, and then let go of the outcome. Leave the door open. Relationships have long memories.
The most profitable clients are built through the steady work of understanding people—their motivations, challenges, and aspirations—and crafting solutions framed entirely around them.
This is servant leadership in action. When you serve their needs, you earn their trust. When you earn their trust, you don’t just gain customers—you gain loyal advocates who often become your biggest fans.
Paul Kiewiet MAS+ is an industry speaker, writer, consultant and coach. Kiewiet was inducted into the PPAI Hall of Fame and the MiPPA Hall of Fame. He served as Chairman of PPAI in 2007. A former distributor, he founded Promotion Concepts, Inc in 1982 and worked with some of America’s most valuable brands including Coca-Cola, Kelloggs, and Whirlpool.