How to Foster Relationships with Other Professionals

Key Points:

• Show up with the intention to give before you receive — people want to be around others who show up with this energy. 
• If you reach out and you don’t hear a response, don’t be afraid to follow up respectfully. 
• Show appreciation and stay in touch — by doing so you’ll put yourself ahead of almost everyone else and stay top of mind with your connections.

 As a chiropractic student or a new chiropractor, you might be wondering how to connect with other business professionals and how to start building your professional network. It might seem unnecessary (not to mention somewhat awkward) to invest your time in these connections, but it’s really the exact opposite. Your network as a chiropractor and a business owner will absolutely influence your business success. You might even reach a point where a certain connection is critical to help you uplevel to the next stage in your career, or even help you out of a sticky situation. 

You never know what can happen, and investing in your connections and your professional community pays strong dividends over time. Let’s talk about how to build strong business relationships, including how you can show up as a valuable professional.

Plant Seeds for Solid Relationships

The first thing to understand about building professional connections is that this is a long game. You’re not necessarily connecting with someone with the expectation that they’ll be able to help you out right away, or in a few months, or even in a year. Plus, people can tell when you want to get something out of them, and they won’t want to connect with you. This isn’t the point of establishing professional relationships. It’s about give and take, and that exchange may take much longer to play out. 

You have to build trust with people and genuinely have something in common to connect over. Of course, this may be connecting with other chiropractors, but it may also mean connecting with other service providers, such as lawyers, doctors, and dentists. It may be leaders in your community or members of local business organizations. You never know who might have valuable advice to offer, or who you can support as well. In sharing your expertise, you may get patients and client referrals from them.

But before any of that, you have to put yourself out there. Open yourself up to connections with other professionals, and know that not all of them are going to pan out. That’s okay. Some of those seeds will still grow into thriving connections over time.

Give Before You Receive

Here’s the foundational rule for building business relationships: you have to approach the person with the intention to give before you can receive. It’s never about you — make it about them and how you can help. If you show up as someone who gives to others, people will want to be around you. 

This is especially true if you’re trying to connect with someone who is older, or more established, or farther along in their business than you. It’s not that they don’t want to help you, they simply don’t have the time or bandwidth to take on more than what they are already doing. 

However you approach them, introduce yourself, and then offer something in exchange for their time. Offer to buy them a cup of coffee in exchange for answering a specific question you have. If you have technical skills, perhaps you can offer them help with their website or social media for their business. You need to know your place, and don’t offer advice where it’s not needed or appropriate, but that doesn’t mean you can’t offer something valuable to them. 

We’re looking for a symbiotic relationship here, not a parasitic relationship. By showing up and offering value to them first, you’re initiating reciprocity on their part to give back to you in the future. Remember, that reciprocity might not show up right away. But people remember when you help them out, even if it seems small or insignificant to you, and they want to return the favor. 

A "No" Now Doesn’t Mean a No Forever

When you reach out to other professionals, you’ll inevitably meet people who simply don’t have the time or capacity to interact with you right now. And that’s okay! A “no” right now doesn’t mean no forever. 

First of all, if you ask someone for coffee or reach out to them and they don’t respond, don’t give up right away. Follow up once or twice, but don’t be annoying. If they haven’t responded after a couple of follow-ups, then let it go. Even then you may choose to wait 2-3 months and try again. They may be more receptive in a different season of their business or life.

For example, I don’t always have enough bandwidth for students to shadow me in our clinic, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to offer that opportunity for students ever again. It simply means not right now. I always want to help out upcoming chiropractors when I can, and I’ll revisit that opportunity in the future.  

Just follow up with your connections respectfully, and don’t take it personally if they don’t return your message or say no. Keep reaching out, and you’ll find your people. 

Always Show Your Appreciation

Here’s where 90% of people drop the ball and lose key connections that could have helped them out down the road — you have to stay in touch and show your appreciation for the professionals you connect with. 

It’s sad to say, but most people aren’t in the habit of showing appreciation and gratitude for others these days. But that means that when you do go out of your way to connect, say thank you, and acknowledge people on special occasions, like their birthday, a business anniversary, or a special life event — people will automatically remember you. 

Here are a few rules I like to follow to keep up with business professionals and show my appreciation: 

• Practice gratitude. If someone helps you out, even in a small way, always verbally say thank you, or write them a thank you note. Thank you notes are a lost art, and they can go a long way toward someone remembering you and establishing trust.
• Always stay in touch, even if it’s only once or twice a year. I like to send people small Christmas gifts, but you could also send holiday cards, or keep track of people’s birthdays in your calendar and shoot them a text on their birthday. 
• Don’t take for granted that people will remember you. You have to check in, be active on social media, touch base with them here and there. Don’t take that relationship for granted.
• With local connections, speak to people when you see them, and acknowledge them in a friendly way, even when you don’t feel like it. Even when you run into people you knew from high school at the grocery store, don’t hide, step up, interact, and practice those interpersonal skills.

These are golden rules to keep in mind when you want to build professional relationships and a healthy business network. Just saying “thank you” and practicing appreciation will already set you above the rest — most people don’t invest in their relationships, and that’s going to be a key part of growing your practice (and yourself).

You’ll be surprised 5, 10, or even 15 years down the road that you may need someone’s help, and people will be lining up to have your back. You’ll be glad you nurtured those relationships, and that you’ve offered value to them in return. 

Investing in People Brings the Best ROI

There’s no better investment you can make for your business than establishing good relationships with fellow business owners and professionals. At the end of the day, we thrive on connection and community, and we fail without it. Show up for others, offer value, and accept their help in return when you need it. It’s what makes the world go round, and your business is no exception. 

Looking for professional mentorship? Here are two ways you can work with me:

• Six or twelve-month one-on-one coaching packages: If you’re a chiropractor looking to grow your business and aiming to reach seven-figure revenues or more, then consider applying for private one-on-one coaching with me.
• Owning a Chiropractic Practice online course: Not quite ready for one-on-one support? Learn all about the business side of running and owning a chiropractic practice in my online course.