What are your tops things you do to add value to people and gain new relationships?

I’ve read how to Win friends and influence people 5 times now and it’s crazy how just being  genuinely interested in others and their life’s makes me friends every day. 

Amen to that!  The thing I see play out well consistently is listening to people share their hopes, dreams, and visions and then trying to help them along the way in those.  Profit is not the goal, but rather adding fuel to their fires.  Who doesn't do better with others fighting in their corners?!?

Ask good questions, listen, and consider the other person's ambitions the same as yours and ways to add value to them become clearer.

@Patrick Flanagan it sounds like you should be the one telling us how to add value and gain new relationships!

Know your strengths and understand their weaknesses. You indicate you're a contractor. Can you network with investors in your area and offer to walk properties with them before they submit their offer? It's incredibly valuable to have a ballpark estimate of potential rehab before submitting offers.   

@Will Fraser

Great answer, it’s funny how easy it is to build relationships when you ask questions and listen.

@Jon Kelly

I love to learn about it. I’m definitely not one to teach people yet haha but I’ve been trying to focus on the basics.

Some on the construction site I do to break the barrier is play 70’s rock haha all the old guys love it. Then they I take the time to get to know people.

Also, just giving people  Recognition for there work is free and huge

@Patrick Flanagan

In your conversations seek out what they don’t want to do, or aren’t good at, and offer to do those things. Hopefully you find some alignment there where your strengths line up with their weaknesses.

@Dave E.

This is the part that interests me the most. A lot of times I’ve found I can’t be the thing they need. So I re directed my focus on building relationships with mortgage brokers, property management companies, investors or contractors.

So I can pass off the recommendation. A AWESOME book is called blue fishing, he’s the guy that maintains relationships and basically finds out what everyone needs and knows how to connect them.

@Patrick Flanagan I have read the book and took the Dale Carnegie course. It is an excellent education in how to deal with people. 

I think Zig Ziglar said it best, "You can get everything you want in life, if you just help enough other people get what they want." 

So many people are inward focused and even selfish. They fail to take time to understand what the other person wants. Zig was a firm believer if you start by first asking what others want, you will naturally get what you want. How you do that is by asking questions. That can be either asking someone directly or put yourself in their shoes and imagine what you could do to help them. 

The way I see it, there are four areas you can add value:

1. Financially - at a base level this is helping someone get more wealth, but there are many ways to this. 

2. Emotionally - this can be making someone feel good or preventing them from feeling bad, like releasing their stress or worries. This can be a friendship or any type of emotional connection.

3. Time - time is the only limited resource so if you can save someone time doing what they don't want to do, it frees time to do what they want to do.

4. Ideas - this can be a mastermind, a partnership, a mentorship, education, creative solutions, problem solving, a new business venture, a blog, a podcast or a book. 

I have just one question for you. How can I help you? 

@Patrick Flanagan

Awesome comments all around. One thing I have enjoyed in this community and others is book recommendations and discussions. It’s a great way to build rapport with people who already have a mutual interest. Also allows you to seek perspective from other in what they may get out of a book verse what you get out of it.

@Joe Splitrock

Keep posting all the awesome insights. That’s how you help me.

@Jonathan Stone

I totally agree with you. What are some of your favorite books?

@Patrick Flanagan

How to Win Friends and Influence People, of course, Think and Grow Rich, and The Richest Man in Babylon are all classics to me that everyone should read.

Lately I’ve read on 7 Habits, The One Thing and Atomic Habits. But I’m always up for recommendations and it really depends on who I am discussing the books with and what they may be interested in.

I probably read more mindset and "life"books than REI, but I am looking for some good info on OOS and STR so if you have any recommendations there let me know.

@Jonathan Stone

I love all those books

I just read your 5 next moves. It was seriously so good