Building Relationships....Priceless!

Building Relationships....Priceless!
Copyright 2002 Livvie Matthews

There are many things you can and will do along
the way to building your business, but few things will
have the impact on your business as that of building
your relationships.

Some think because you don't "see" your viewers -
customers, you don't have to "interact". In fact most of
your business is conducted using web sites, e-mail and
autoresponders. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Web sites, e-mail and autoresponders are the reasons
you must build relationships! Think about it. Don't you
absolutely hate answering machines or voice mail
when calling a business? There is no contact.

For example, how many times when you are "on hold"
or "pressing 1,2 or 3" have you thought, If I could just
speak to someone or what happened to actually speaking
to a real person?

You want contact and contact builds relationships and
relationships build customer loyalty. Offer good customer
service and great products. Make it easy to do business
with you. Satisfied customers will refer their friends
and associates to businesses that have provided them
with great service!

Build trust. Let your customers get to know you and
you get to know your customers. Ask them what they
want to see, what they would like added, what could
you do to improve your service or what would be
of benefit to your customer. Find out what you could
do or offer differently.

The critical part of building relationships begins after
you have made the sale. The "quality" of service you
provide during and after the sale is what builds loyalty
and lifetime relationships with your customers. Service
produces returning customers, the lifeline of your business.

How would your customers rate the "quality" of your
service? Make no mistake about it, it is the customer
who determines the "quality" of your service.

No matter how good your product is, your customer will
rate the quality of your service based on....How you
treated them, how you handled their order, how you
resolved their problem, and what benefits they received
or will receive as a result of doing business with you.

Testimonials are another way to relay your products
benefits and to build relationships. Ask for testimonials
when you fill their order. What made them purchase
your product? What did they think about it? How
was their service? Find out their likes and dislikes.

Make "ear" contact with your customers by developing
the art of listening. Listen to what is not being said in
addition to what is being said. The purpose of listening
is to gain new insight and information.

Send or include a survey-testimony e-mail with every
order you fill. This will make it easy for your customer
to give you their testimonial. Very often, the information
you receive back will show the direction for your next
product.

E-mail to your Internet business is what the telephone is
to the traditional business, it is the heartbeat. Answer
all your inquiries quickly and efficiently, usually within
24 hours.

Be personable. Your "voice" on your web site and
in your e-mail represents your personality and the
personality of your business... friendly, enthusiastic
and confident or...distant, mechanical and cold.

Providing outstanding services builds your reputation
and establishes you as reliable and trustworthy, the
ingredients needed to build relationships!

So remember, Web Site hosting may be $29.95,
and your Internet Server...$21.95, but....

Building Relationships...Priceless!