Time 15:40

I know we like to talk about technology here on most days, but today we’re taking a different tact. Today we interviewed one of the deans of relationship building, Harvey Mackay, the author of Swim with The Sharks without Getting Eaten Alive and Beware the Naked Man who Offers You His Shirt.

Mackay has been on the New York Times best-seller list multiple times, and these two books are on the top 15 inspirational business books of all time, according to the New York Times.

Mackay built a failing envelope company into a $100 million business employing 600 people. He did it with relationships — caring relationships based on truly getting to know the other person. And so, as social media continues to take shape, I thought it important to seek the advice of those who understand a few things about relationships.

An example is the Mackay 66 , a guide to learning about each other, whether it’s as simple as making connections to the same college or favorite sports team or learning about whether the person is focused on the present or the future. Those who use Facebook, LinkedIn or any other social network can gain value from Mackay’s wealth of experience and advice on nurturing relationships.

Ten million copies of his books have sold and his column is syndicated in 52 newspapers across the country. Here are some of my favorite of Mackay’s words:

• “What every salesperson — and not enough entrepreneurs — know: The sweetest sound in the world to you, and to your customer, is the sound of your own name on someone else’s lips.”
• “Little things don’t mean a lot. They mean everything. In a business, there are 1,001 ways to screw up every day, and almost all of them can be avoided with a little more attention to detail or common courtesy.”
• “Challenge yourself to learn something new every chance you get.”
• “Business is a collaborative art, not an individual one.”

There is a webinar on the Mackay 66 on Dec. 3, 2007.

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