In an ever-changing world, one thing that remains constant is the power and importance of relationships. On today's episode, we speak with Adam Klein, Chief Growth Officer with Bennett Thrasher, a full-service, CPA advisory business advisory firm based in Atlanta, Georgia, about his perspective on the ins and outs of building value-added connections. We kick off our conversation with an overview of what has changed since the pandemic and what has stayed the same. This introduces us to today's theme: relationships as the core of business-building. Adam gives us his predictions for the future of communication, encourages us to embrace flexibility, and be strategic about when to meet online, and make the additional effort to see someone in person. He introduces us to the practice of reframing selling as helping and seeking to understand people in order to add value. We talk about developing soft skills, why people do business with people they like, how to adjust our networking expectations for a post-COVID world, and why there is no shortcut to building fruitful relationships. We hope you join us for an episode packed with insights with the power to change your perspective today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• What the pandemic has not changed: relationships at the core of business development.
• What has changed: bringing internal and external communication into the digital space.
• How the pandemic has highlighted the importance of relationships.
• Why building rapport supports business.
• A prediction for Zoom going forward: a new dynamic for what is considered face-to-face.
• Bridging the gap when you have different needs to the person you are meeting with.
• The benefit of arranging an initial meeting digitally before engaging in person.
• How Zoom has created greater ease of making new connections.
• Ways we should adjust our networking expectations in a post-COVID world.
• Reframing selling as helping.
• Seeking to understand people in order to add value.
• The value of developing soft skills: people do business with people they like. 
• Why there is no shortcut to building relationships.
• Adam's advice: don't overcomplicate it, enjoy the process, and treat people well.
• Call-to-action: write down three ways that you can be helpful to your existing network. 

Adam Klein on LinkedIn
Adam Klein Email
Bennett Thrasher
Alex Drost LinkedIn
Branch Out Podcast LinkedIn
Connection Builders LinkedIn

Have thoughts or comments? We want to hear from you. [email protected]