Young professionals know that that there will come a point in their career when they will need to learn the art of generating business. This will be a major factor in determining whether they will succeed or fail in the business arena.

Most clientele become attracted to business professionals in a similar way to how they choose their friends. They will look for providers whose hearts are in the right place by:

Taking the time to make them feel at ease
Acting as a source of strength and compassion when times are tough
Offering peace of mind that any matters of trust will be handled with respect
Displaying loyalty

Instilling these assurances in others is an attitude which can only come from within. Genuine care and concern for a client's welfare should be paramount. This is not something which can be turned on and off for the sake of business transactions, it is a technique which requires the cultivation of conversational and interpersonal skills which can only be perfected through practice.

For those who already have a busy personal social calendar, the odds are good when it comes to implementing these habits and skills within a business setting. Those who are social hermits may find it harder to clinch those all important deals as the commitment, trust and sincerity may be lacking.

The aim of this article is to integrate friendship skills in both a professional and personal setting so as the blending of the two create harmonious and prosperous results as one.

The way to a client's heart...
Dining is the most cultural way to develop friendships and seal long term business relationships, so don't miss out on opportunities to invite clients or colleagues out for coffee or lunch. In many cases, it is likely that the café on the corner of the street or the pub down the road will become a regular meeting place for cementing that bond. By engaging in casual conversation, you always have your finger on the pulse of opportunity and can keep track of who has done what for whom in the business world. You also build up some excellent credit in your 'trusted relationship' bank which means that you have the peace of mind that when you want to make some withdrawals later down the line, they are there for you.

Friendship requires compromise without feeling compromised...
Some people have a natural penchant for friendship. For many, friends from school days are still very much a part of old age. No matter the age, sex, taste, personality or income bracket, people become friends because of their ability to adapt and partake in various topics of discussion depending upon whom they are with.

This could involve talking politics with Dave, sharing gardening tips with Janice or putting the world to rights with 'Soap Box' Sam. A friend such as this is rarely lonely and is often viewed as a best friend simply through having a wide range of interests and blending in with the crowd. These people do not change skins as often as a snake sheds them; they rely on their natural ability to show an interest in others.

It was once quoted "You cannot love everything about everyone" and this is most certainly true. However, the aim is to find the key ingredients within each person which you can hone in on and utilize.

This gives you the ability to make friends with anyone, even if you do not have anything in common. You simply need to look for that spark which you can ignite into a flame.

The art of friendship does not involve painting on a happy smile and faking an interest. The trick is to do some quiet investigative work to find something which you can latch on to and show genuine interest and sincerity.

Let's run through a typical scenario:

You've had a hard day at work, you are tired and really just want to put your feet up. However, some clients have asked you to attend a dinner party. Turning to your right, you enquire about the person's hobbies. The gentleman tells you that he loves martial arts...alarm bells start going off in your head and that little voice reminds you that you know nothing about self-defence. The easiest and most instinctive reaction is to turn to the person on the right in a bid to strike up a conversation on a subject that you do know something about. However, by remaining in search mode, you can find a mountain of follow up questions to steer the conversation around to something you can relate to.

Some examples:

What fascinates you about martial arts?
How many years have you been practising it
What does it involve?
Do you watch martial art movies?

By the end of the evening, your companion will have thoroughly enjoyed filling you in on the joys of self defence. In return, questioning usually reverses and you will also be presented with the opportunity to elaborate on your interests. If you should both meet again, you will instantly have a talking point.

This is how it works in a business environment. The professionals are not the ones who can provide a satisfactory answer to every single question. Instead, they are the ones who ask questions in a general and relaxed form of conversation. This helps to put clients at ease, builds rapport and opens the floodgates to friendly banter as social barriers start to fall away.

Friendship...listening is just as important as talking...
One way of building natural rapport with people is to treat them as you would expect to be treated. Some of the key aspects are:

Understanding
Compassion
Being supportive
Being considerate

The same rules apply in business. Clients are more likely to place their trust in someone who is sincere and genuinely wants to look after their needs.

These may look like easy skills to acquire but implementing them into an everyday situation could be challenging. Let's take key ingredient number 3. Being supportive...sounds easy enough but how could we inculcate this into a business environment? One way would be to listen for any parts in conversation where the client is experiencing difficulties. Being supportive could mean looking for solutions which may help. Browse online, send newspaper clippings or recommend books, courses or anything which relates to the subject matter.

An example to being considerate could be to ask follow up questions in relation to issues which were discussed when you last met. Phrases such as: "How did that round of golf go that you were dreading with the boss?" This shows that you remembered the conversation and were genuinely concerned as to how it all panned out. This is also a great way to show interest without appearing too intrusive.

Show your appreciation in both your business and personal life and you will reap the rewards. A simple follow up call to say "thank you" for the meal last week followed by something like "What time did you manage to go to bed after ploughing through all that washing up?" Shows concern and gratitude in just a smattering of words.

The same applies after business meetings. A call several hours afterwards to say how much you enjoyed meeting that person and how much you are looking forward to working with them, presses all the right buttons. It also shows that the meeting was much more than just about 'making money' and was equally about making new friends.

Treat any client as you would a friend and you will be on your way to building success. Start sowing the seeds of kindness NOW because friendship is a slow ripening fruit.