It’s All About Relationships!

Relationships are vital to building business partnerships. That is true in many industries, and none more so than the Salesforce ecosystem, where successful partnerships can help companies extend their reach, meet their customers’ needs, and grow their businesses. This is something Kander and Mogli both understand well. As a result, we have cultivated strong relationships with partners of all sizes throughout the Salesforce ecosystem. This has helped us both scale our business while also enriching the ecosystem as a whole.

To foster productive partnerships, you need to know how to work with other businesses and create mutually beneficial relationships. There are a few key elements to keep in mind as you navigate forming relationships and partnerships with others in the Salesforce ecosystem. 

Here are our top 5 tips to help you find and create successful Salesforce relationships that lead to partnerships.

Be truly authentic

We started with being authentic because this can be hard for some, yet it is crucial to building long-lasting relationships in any business.  At Kander, authenticity is the backbone of the company culture. It’s the reason behind the name of the company Kander – a spin-off from the word Candor, which means “the quality of being open and honest in expression or frankness.” And when you think about Mogli’s unique history in the Salesforce ecosystem – authenticity has been at its core from day one.

After two long years of virtual interactions, people are hungry for genuine, honest, and transparent in-person experiences. Therefore, when interacting with a potential partner, it is not just about what your product or service can offer but also about establishing an honest and open connection from the start to lay the foundation for a long-term partnership. 

Talk less, listen more

It is often said that hearing is easy; listening is hard. Yet, as hard as it is to listen effectively, it is still vitally important in any setting. Effective listening goes beyond simply hearing what the other person has to say. Beyond hearing someone’s words, it is also about creating a space where the other person feels that you understand them. Listen to understand, not to respond. Confirm your understanding by asking questions to clarify any unclear points.

Avoid interrupting the other person, and give them time and space to share their thoughts without feeling pressured to hurry up and move on to the next topic. Practice active listening by maintaining eye contact, letting go of any distractions, and focusing on what the other person says. Keep in mind that active listening means listening with the intent to understand, not listening for the next thing you have to say. You’ll have better quality conversations by listening more and talking less.

Establish your personal connection

Personal connection is all about finding a way to connect with the person you are meeting. Avoid asking people personal questions such as marital status, number of kids, etc., as they are not genuine attempts to get to know someone. Instead, ask about their interests — how long they have been in the Salesforce ecosystem or how they found their way to it. You can also use these connections to help you find commonalities with the other person. Finding commonalities help you build trust. Building trust builds relationships, and relationships lead to partnerships.

The Kander and Mogli connection began at a community event years ago. It has since blossomed into a supportive partnership that led to Kander sponsoring a “Bacon” Breakfast fundraising event organized by Mogli’s Eric Dreshfield at Dreamforce and recently at Northeast Dreamin’ this year. 

Demonstrate you are a reliable partner

People want to partner with individuals they can trust. After all, trust is at the core of everything Salesforce does, and as such, it plays a critical role in the partnerships we build in the ecosystem. But trust is not something that happens overnight. Instead, it takes time to build. Being dependable, consistent, transparent, and operating with integrity and empathy are crucial to building the trust needed for a reliable partnership.

Network

Networking is a critical part of building relationships. The more people you know, the more opportunities to develop business partnerships. The Salesforce ecosystem is vast, and the possibilities to network are endless. From community group meetings, community-led events, conferences, and let’s not forget Dreamforce.  

​​There is no one way to network. Instead, find what works for you to make connections. Whether in person or online, there are ways to make it happen. Stay active in the community, stay up to date with the various groups, follow leaders in the community to connect with them, and attend events to meet people and learn about what they do. There’s no shortage of ways to meet people and build your network.

Networking doesn’t have to be intimidating, daunting, or stressful. It is a critical part of success, and there are many ways to do it.

Final Thoughts

Relationships are vital to building business partnerships. However, building successful partnerships based on relationships can take time. The best way to build relationships is by setting up conversations with people in your network and listening before you speak. Be truly authentic and establish your personal connections by communicating honestly and openly. Partnerships will fall into place when you focus on building the relationship first instead of trying to force a partnership.

If you’re planning an implementation project and are looking for a partner to guide you through these crucial steps, reach out to us here.