BSBTWK401

Build and maintain business

relationships
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Topic 1: Creating effective business

relationships

BSBTWK401 Build and maintain business relationships ABM Pty Ltd

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An effective business relationship is one built on trust, effective

communication, rapport, loyalty, engagement and participation. It applies
to new business relationships as well as existing ones.

Topic 1: Creating effective business relationships

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WHAT IS NETWORKING?
Networking is the practice of actively using connections or contacts to
keep informed about what is happening inside or outside your
organisation.

Topic 1: Creating effective business relationships

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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND NETWORKING OBJECTIVES

When undertaking networking opportunities for an organisation you must
be able to link business development objectives to networking objectives
so that you are gaining the most benefit.

Topic 1: Creating effective business relationships

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ACTIVITY: WATCH
Watch the following video on how to approach business networking.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTpFwchbIA0 (02:22)
Note down your key takeaways.

Topic 1: Creating effective business relationships

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NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
• Developing a networking strategy can help to identify what you want to
achieve from networking.
• This can include listing goals and objectives so that you can target the
right networks and networking opportunities.

Topic 1: Creating effective business relationships

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ACTIVITY: RESEARCH AND DISCUSS

Consider your own industry and the networking opportunities available:
• List the type of networking that would be the most beneficial.
Write down your networking goals for the next 6 months. If you are not working, think
of professional networking and how this can help you find a job!

Topic 1: Creating effective business relationships

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COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
Using the most appropriate and relevant communication channels for
exchanging information with business contacts will be extremely
important for effective communication.

Topic 1: Creating effective business relationships

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ENGAGING WITH BUSINESS CONTACTS

When you engage with business contacts, you will need to use both
written and verbal communication so that you can effectively promote
business opportunities.

Topic 1: Creating effective business relationships

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ACTIVITY: RESEARCH AND DISCUSS

Consider your own networks. What are they?
Write these down for further discussion.

Topic 1: Creating effective business relationships

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ACTIVITY: GROUP WORK

Divide into pairs.
Each group is to research a networking opportunity for the other person in the group.

Topic 1: Creating effective business relationships

BSBTWK401 Build and maintain business relationships ABM Pty Ltd
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Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

BSBTWK401 Build and maintain business relationships ABM Pty Ltd

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How can you maintain a business relationship? Maintaining business

relationships means building rapport, addressing any barriers to identified
opportunities, negotiating solutions and seeking advice as needed.

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES

Active listening
Understanding non-verbal signals
Maintaining eye contact
Assertiveness
Being mindful of people's individual space
Using positive body language
Dealing with different points of view.

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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USING ACTIVE LISTENING

• Active listening means paying attention to the speaker – both to verbal
and non-verbal cues.
• Active listening requires us to suspend our internal thoughts and give
your full attention to the speaker.

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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USING EFFECTIVE QUESTIONING

There are certain types of questions that you can ask:
• Closed questions
• Open questions

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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ACTIVITY: BRAINSTORM
Brainstorm examples of open and closed questions that might be used to start a
conversation with a new business contact over the phone.
Your trainer/assessor will facilitate a discussion.

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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ACTIVITY: READ
Read the article Verbal vs Non-verbal communication:
https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-verbal-and-non-verbal-communication.h
tml
Take any notes to summarise what you have read and keep for future reference.

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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ACTIVITY: READ
Read the article explaining different communication styles:
Article:
https://www.leadershipiq.com/blogs/leadershipiq/39841409-quiz-whats-your-communic
ation-style

Take notes and keep them for future reference.

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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ACTIVITY: READ
Explore the Business Queensland website that explains how to manage business
relationships through effective communication:
https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/marketing-sales/managing-relations
hips/communicating-effectively

Remember to select the “next” button at the bottom of the page to access all relevant
information.

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ACTIVITY: WATCH
How to build rapport and trust.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9uHBEGpJm4&t=45s (02:07)
Five steps for building trust in the workplace.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r540VOIVufc (06:27)
Watch the video for more practical ways to communicate effectively.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gaj3Xl9vasc (35:14)

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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BARRIERS
• Understanding the barriers that can occur with business relationships
can help you to maintain a healthy rapport.
• There are a number of common barriers that can relate to business
development goals as well as the people building and maintaining the
relationship.

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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ADDRESSING PROBLEMS
It is really important to address any barriers and the impacts that they
may cause so that you can negotiate solutions.

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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ACTIVITY: READ
Read the following article on a range of problem-solving tools and approaches:
See the following website for a range of techniques:
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_TMC.htm
Take any notes to summarise what you have read.

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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ACTIVITY: READ
Read more about negotiation:
https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/negotiation.html
Research the following methods:
• Lose-lose
• Win-lose
• ½ win – ½ lose
• Win-Win

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ACTIVITY: WATCH
Watch the following video on negotiation.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FeM6kp9Q80 (04:45)
Take down your key takeaways.

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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SEEKING ADVICE
• You may find that you will need to seek specialist advice when
developing contacts.
• Building and maintaining business relationships involves a lot of
communication and information.

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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ACTIVITY: RESEARCH AND DISCUSS

Work in pairs for this activity.
Consider whom you could turn to for specialist advice in the development of contacts
in your industry and sector, the state you live in.
• Write the name of the contact and how you would contact them. What advice are
you seeking and why?
Your trainer/assessor will facilitate a discussion.

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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ACTIVITY: DEVELOP
1. Set up your own online network presence.
2. Create a profile.
3. Start interacting/networking with contacts or join groups/networks available on the
site.
4. Ensure you find as many professional associations or groups within LinkedIn.
5. Once the site is set up and you have created some networking or social interaction,
write a brief report of your experience.

Topic 2: Upholding business relationships

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Topic 3: Fostering and improving business

relationships

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Once you have formed a business relationship, you will need to spend
time building and improving on them. As mentioned in Topic 1, it takes
time, effort and communication!

Topic 3: Fostering and improving business relationships

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PROMOTING THE ORGANISATION

Part of your role in building and improving on business relationships will
be to represent and promote the business opportunities to your contacts,
keeping them informed and interested.

Topic 3: Fostering and improving business relationships

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ACTIVITY: READ
Creating an effective network strategy:
https://www.marketingdonut.co.uk/sales/sales-lead-generation/create-an-effective-netw
orking-strategy

Marketing and networking:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/65692
Using social media to promote a business:
https://www.businesswest.co.uk/blog/8-effective-ways-promote-your-business-social-m
edia

Topic 3: Fostering and improving business relationships

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PARTICIPATING IN NETWORKING
A key to building and improving your networks is to actually participate in
both formal and informal networking so that you can promote the
organisation.

Topic 3: Fostering and improving business relationships

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COMMUNICATING ISSUES
• If you come across any issues regarding your business relationships,
you should communicate these in a timely manner to the relevant
personnel in your organisation.
• You may find that dealing with issues early will lessen any escalation or
further issues down the track.

Topic 3: Fostering and improving business relationships

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FEEDBACK
The last phase in building and maintaining business relationships is to
seek and respond to feedback from management on the quality of the
relationships formed.

Topic 3: Fostering and improving business relationships

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ACTIVITY: RESEARCH
Reflect: How effectively do I network?
Write your reflection down.
Undertake the tasks that follow.

Topic 3: Fostering and improving business relationships

BSBTWK401 Build and maintain business relationships ABM Pty Ltd