We all know there is a decided difference between marketing strategy and marketing tactics. Pretty important stuff if you hope to have an impact. It is equally important to know the difference between the things we do or use to create business relationship opportunities and what we do to maintain the relationships we actually have.
Over at CommunityGuy.com, Jake writes an interesting parallel column on building “community”. His point rather simple. Bringing a lot of people together in the same space does not a community make. Community can only happen once people are interacting, sharing, and relating to the other people around themselves.
The same hold true in business relationships. You can shake a lot hands, swap cards, laugh over cocktails, or play golf until your arms can swing no more. Real relationships develop over time with consistent attention and effort. As you read Jake’s column just put the words, “relationship network” in place of, “community”.
