Value of relationships – know, like and trust

Business networking is not about handing out the most business cards you can to every new person you meet and suggesting “coffee?”.  It is creating a mutually benefiting relationship. If we do this correctly, and become part of the team of either the client or introducer, we can add value to our business and theirs. 

Know, like and trust relationship

There is the phrase “people will do business with those they know, like and trust” and I think this is very true – particularly with lawyers. Lawyers sell their hours in time as a service, so it is essential we get to know our clients, get under the bonnet of their business and play a part in their success if we as lawyers are to add value to their business. 

EMW allows all its lawyers to get to know their clients and introducers and take the time to meet with them and interact with them not just in a formal setting of instructing EMW but in a less formal way too. This is part of EMW’s success and why the firm is different, we want to add value which might not always mean an immediate direct financial benefit for us, but it does help in cultivating these important relationships.

Our lawyers are human beings, friendly people that avoid that stigma of “stuffy lawyers” so we like to think our clients like working with them. This is the key to a long standing relationship with clients, we like spending time with our clients regardless of what service we provide or product we sell. A lot of EMW’s client base have been with the firm for many years, because they like us and trust the advice we give. There are lots of good lawyers around and it’s a competitive market but ,because of the depth of the relationship, these clients know that we have their back and will go the extra mile to protect their interests.

In the post-Covid world, successful selling has become more relationship-oriented; more relational than transactional. People want to do business that way, and who can blame them? After all, the trust factor between human beings (and especially as it relates to business) is probably at an all-time low. Prospects are worried about being schemed, scammed, taken advantage of, or just not treated right. They want to do business with someone they know, like and trust. That’s also the type of person they are willing to refer to those they care about.

After all, while the relationship will get you in the door, if the knowledge base isn’t there then the relationship will soon come to an end in any event. But it is fundamentally our relationship with clients and introducers that leads to a successful outcome! Most people going out networking and creating these valued relationships love a nice lunch or coffee, myself included, but we have to deliver too when asked too which is key to maintaining that “Know, like and trust relationship”

As an example, we hold regularly in the Gatwick office, breakfast meetings on important business topics brining together business owners in the local community.This is a time we encourage and want all of our network to get to know not just us but each other, helping the cultivation of these important business relationships but also allowing those attending to discuss their business in a trusted setting. 

As a property lawyer myself relationships with introducers are key, we must have a mutually benefiting trusted relationship where cross referrals take place. No one is going to refer us work if they don’t like us, know we can deliver and trust that by referring us they have made the right choice. Many of the in introducers I work with now, I have worked with since my career in Law really started and we have grown together and continue to do so. 

This is why, as a firm, at EMW we share knowledge with our introducers and hold events with them for prospects building on that relationship further. Last year we ran several of these type sessions with local banks and accountants on hot topics such as succession planning. Early this year we will be running another event with accountants on construction issues and disputes and an event on business immigration. These events whilst raising our profile, are also valuing our relationships with these introducers and working with them to accelerate not just our business but theirs too. 

The Business Immigration “Answer to your recruitment challenges” breakfast is being held at the office on 23 February 8:30am and for our contractors and the developers “The Better Contracts and accounting policies” breakfast is being held on jointly with some accountants on 8 March at 8:30am. Please contact Jayne.bryant@emwllp.com if you would like to secure a place.  

Finally, in April we will holding a Gatwick Flyers Cycling event for like minded business people with further details to follow. These are perfect sessions to not only perhaps gain some knowledge but to meet us at EMW and other like minded professionals in the area.