Strengthening Customer Relationships

My father was a manufacturer's representative for 48 years and he had a loyal following. He achieved that in part through some very simple practices.

Always send a thank you note after engaging a customer. He hand wrote them but just the act of doing so was always appreciated because it was so rare. 

When calling on someone look around you and see if there are photos or mementos of a hobby or particular interest. Then when you see something on those areas of interest forward it to them. It shows a depth of interest beyond just making a sale. 

Remember to "Go the extra mile for you will never find it crowded."

Communicating from the Right Perspective

What is the one subject that your target audience is most interested in? 

Themselves!

Thus you need to be communicating from their perspective, not yours. What "message" impacts sales of your products or services more than anything else? Is is Price, Features, Benefits? It's the latter, whether they are real or perceived benefits, they are the points that need to be communicated to answer the question - What's in it for me to become (or stay) your customer?

Integrity and Reputation

These two words - Integrity and Reputation - are locked together; they are permanently intertwined and cannot, nor should not, be separated.

Over the last few years the business community has gotten pretty well beat up due to the behavior of some big players. Does that mean all business people are dishonest? Absolutely not! But there is a fact of business life that holds true today as it did a hundred years ago. It takes far longer to build a good reputation than it takes to lose one. 

It is not only imperative, but a smart marketing move to ensure all aspects of your business is ran with integrity and transparency because when you do it will pay big dividends in customer retention and profitability.