With the new year upon us, you’ve no doubt spent time during the holiday season reflecting on the past year and where you’re headed for 2025. Most likely, you’ve set meaningful goals for the year ahead.
For most of us, those goals tend to fall into two primary categories: personal and financial. We aim to improve ourselves, our skills, or our health while simultaneously striving for better financial performance—whether that means increasing revenue, reducing costs, or hitting a new profitability milestone.
There’s nothing wrong with these goals. In fact, they’re essential. But as professional service providers, we should think about objectives that draw on a foundational aspect of your business: your relationships.
Monitoring and deepening the quality of your relationships determines the quality of your business. It’s one of the principal points of my book, The Generosity Mindset. “When you genuinely provide value to your network and your community, whether in-person or digitally, you lay the foundation for sustainable success...you are recognized as a professional of value.”
Don't simply believe what I say. In his excellent book Humans are Underrated, Fortune Magazine Senior Editor at Large Geoff Colvin observes that what sets individuals apart is “their ability to connect deeply, to build trust, and to inspire others.”
It’s true if you’re leading a company, a non-profit, or a corporate team. It applies to you even if you're a solopreneur. If you're selling your expertise, which by definition means that trust building is major aspect of establishing your authority, then the quality of your human connections are vital to your business.
In professional services, your bottom line is inextricably tied to the value you bring to your relationships—not just the value you think you’re delivering, but the value those in your network genuinely perceive.
So, as you look at your goals for 2025, don’t just stop with the financial goals. Consider relational goals. Here are a few ideas to provoke your own thinking.
Double Down on Relationship-Building
Who are the people in your network, or those you’d like to have in your network, you need to connect with, nurture, or re-engage this year? They might be former clients, referral sources, or even prospects who went cold but still see your value. It might even be people you aren’t fully aware of right now, but come on your radar because of those angels you have in your network that always seem to be looking out for you.
Sure, you can make a list, but the key is to make sure you avoid transactional touchpoints. It could be as simple as an agenda-free check-in call. It might be a conversation which begins with something like “I love what you’re doing and want to learn more so that I can better support you in the coming year.” Maybe it's attending an event or supporting a cause that matters to them.
Whatever the approach, the key is that it is free of any quid pro quo. If your approach is transactional, you’re doing more harm to your reputation than good.
Focus on Adding Value
How can you add more value to those relationships you currently enjoy? Perhaps it’s sharing an insight that helps a business owner save time or money. Maybe it’s a simple introduction that creates an opportunity for two people in your network.
Value doesn’t always come wrapped in big, bold packages. Small, thoughtful actions often carry significant weight. A handwritten note, a thoughtful compliment, an article that pertains to someone’s work, or remembering and acknowledging a client’s milestone, like a business anniversary, adds meaning and value to someone else in their journey.
Listen More
One key to any good relationship is understanding the other person, their hopes, goals, and frustrations. Understanding is impossible without effective listening.
Make it a goal to have deeper conversations with those in your network–not just your clients–about their goals, challenges, and aspirations, even when those topics extend beyond the immediate scope of your work. Resolve to ask better questions, questions that aren’t just polite conversation, but are catalytic for those around you and your understanding of them.
You Can’t Improve What You Don’t Measure
Arguably your most important business asset is one not reflected on your balance sheet: it’s the value of your relationship capital. What if you assessed the health of your business not just by your P&L statement but also by the number of meaningful connections you’ve initiated or strengthened?
One of my own practices is tracking what I call “connections and touches” that I initiate. Whether it’s a phone call, referral, recommending someone as a guest for a podcast, or an article I send, I track it. Here’s where a CRM, even one as simple as a spreadsheet, is essential.
If you decide to give this idea a try, though, avoid looking at each relationship, adding up what you “gave,” and seeing how that measures up to what you “received.” The idea is to hold yourself accountable to delivering value to your broad network, and to track where you need to improve. You don’t need a CRM to figure out who the takers in your network are anyway; you already know who they are.
Make This Year One of Deeper Connections
While there are many unknowns in the upcoming year, there's one certainty that is true in all seasons: professionals who prioritize relationships will always be in demand.
Think about the steps you need to take to improve your relational excellence. Make a plan and set goals that are couched in offering value to others.
What you’ll find is that reaching those financial goals you’ve set for yourself become much easier.
Image Credit: Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
________________________________
Are you frustrated by your pricing? Need help articulating your value? Do you need a better way to identify and close your best-fit clients? Do you want to restore the joy you used to have for your business? I may be able to help you.
I’m John Ray, a business consultant and coach, author, and podcaster. I advise solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their two most frustrating problems: pricing and business development. I’m passionate about how changes in mindset, positioning, and pricing change the trajectory of a business and the lifestyle choices of a business owner. My clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners. Click here to learn more or contact me directly.
I’m the author of the national bestseller, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices. The book covers topics like value and adopting a mindset of value, pricing your services more effectively, proposals, and essential elements of growing your business. The book is available at all major physical and online book retailers.
Commentaires