We all talk about the benefit of business relationships but do well all really live it? Having better relationships improves the chance that we get referrals and future business and can even help recession proof business operations.

Relationship management skills do not necessarily have to come with the completion of an MBA, it can be as simple as following some common sense advice. The following are a few things that you can do to grow important business relationships:

1. Have an easy to understand contract with clear guidelines with your clients

This is the number one guideline for a successful client engagement. Without a clear contract neither you nor your client can be clear on roles and responsibilities, deadlines and deliverables, methodologies and measures.

Beyond the importance of the contract to the project itself, a clear contract also provides a strong base to a good working relationship.

A good business contract should include the following:

• What the roles and responsibilities are for you and your client  
• What methods you plan to use during the project
• The project timeline
• A description of success.

2. Getting to know your customer

All relationships are better when the individuals in the relationship take the time to get to know one another. Learn the client's interests. You will likely spend many hours with and around the client during the project.

You should know a little more about them - maybe what football team they support, or their favourite cuisine. It doesn't need to be over the top, just enough to show an interest in your client as a person, not just numbers on your sales chart. This is more important to some clients than others, but all of us like to have conversations with others about our interests.

3. Ask questions

When we ask questions, we understand situations better. Take the time to ask your client how he/she feels, what he/she thinks, and try to understand their observations regarding the progress of the project and your performance. The skill of questioning is one of the most important we can develop to improve our consulting skills and our relationships.

4. Be willing to say "No"

In many cases, clients ask us to do things beyond our capabilities or interests. When these new requests are outside the contract agreement, be willing to very politely, but quite firmly, say no. Take time to understand both the client's reason for asking as well as your ability to deliver. Don't automatically say yes, just because you think that the customer is always right.

5. Be willing to say "Yes"

Sometimes yes is the right answer - and only you will know when that best applies to your situation. After weighing the opportunity the client offers you, the client will be grateful if you say yes! Saying yes often makes the client's job much easier and can strengthen a relationship when you put in the extra effort. The more work you do on the client's behalf, the more valuable you become. But keep in mind the happy medium that you also don't want to just become a yes man/woman. Use your professional judgment to consider when to say yes or no but always be honest with your client.

6. Stay Focused

Staying focused on your deliverables is the best thing you can do to maintain and build your client relationship. Talk about deliverables and deadlines in client meetings. Showing that focus and then delivering what we say when promised, we build our credibility and enhance our relationships.

7. Keep working at it

Recognise that the client relationship is part of the job! Thinking about and working on the relationship will make you more successful in the current project, enhance your chance for future work, and make the project much more enjoyable. Not only that you'll get to know and learn from your client.