No matter what type of business you own, one of the most important skills you must master to be successful is the skill of relationship building.
Three key ways to improve relationships with your customers are visibility, sharing knowledge, and regular communication.
Visibility is letting customers see who you are. Do you have a vision for your company? What about a mission statement? Are these displayed and communicated to your customers? These two items represent what is important to you and your company and can go a long way to building trust with your potential and current customers.
Another important part of building relationships with customers is sharing knowledge. When a customer contacts your business, you are in a unique position to answer questions and give value and information before ever receiving compensation. Sharing your knowledge builds credibility with customers and entrusts them with your ability to help solve their problems.
A third way to build relationships with prospective and current customers is simply keeping in touch with them. Sending a quick “thank you” card after a sale will make your company stand out in your customer’s minds because so few businesses follow-up this way. Even sending a quick message to potential customers saying, “Thanks for stopping by. Let us know if there is anything we can do to help you,” will foster improved relationships and possibly turn a stranger into a trusted and loyal customer.
Letting your customers get to know you and your business, sharing knowledge with them, and staying in touch with them can be the keys to building lasting relationships that can tip many sales in your favour. In today’s world of fast-paced, average-at-best service, remember, it takes so little to stand out in the crowd. Doing a few simple things to build relationships with your customers can mean the difference between barely hanging on or thriving in today’s tough economic times.
