In my opinion anyone who wants to be really successful as a business or a salesperson has to stop playing lip service to this very critical concept in sales. Sales is a contact sport. You cannot be building relationships with people if you are not reaching out and touching your friends, business associates, customers and prospects in some meaningful way. And what has meaning to your friends, business associates, customers and prospects?

People will care about you when they know that you care about them.

Do you know what professional organizations or associations your sphere of influence belongs too? Do you know the names of their wives or husbands? Do you know about their interests and hobbies?

There is another part to this, and that is the contact part, you can't have meaningful relationships with people if you are not reaching out and "contacting" them.

Be with your prospects and customers in their environment!

Volunteer for community events, join toastmasters, join social groups. Get active in your community!

Invite them to a football, basketball or hockey game.

Invite them out to play a round of golf. Invite 2 other people who would make a great fit for your prospect, business associate or customer.

1) Online Social Marketing

2) Participation in community and social activities

3) Professional activites: public speaking, writing articles, posting useful comments on blogs...

It never ceases to amaze me how much business Toastmasters has brought me. In fact I have got more business in one year from Toastmasters than I have ever got from some very notable business networking organizations in five!

It never ceases to amaze me when I hear about people "complaining" about doing business the "old school way" over lunch or a round of golf. There's a reason these time tested methods work so well.

People prefer to do business with people that they know, that they like and that they trust! Most people would prefer to get to know you "outside" of the suit and the tie. People want to connect with the "real" you.

If you are serious about growing your business and increasing your sales by getting more referral business then get out of your office or your home and start connecting!