Make Friends with Your Customers

When it comes to developing relationships, small businesses have a huge advantage over “the big guys.” Small businesses can really get to know their customers and develop truly personal relationships, which is often the reason that they keep coming back. Not only are these personal relationships enjoyable for you and your staff, but they are also a great way to improve your business.

While it’s tempting to focus narrowly on making money and the activities that accomplish that goal, American Express Open blogger Eric Priezkalns advises small businesses to instead focus on relationships. Among his recommendations, Priezkalns advises you to:

• Treat customer as individuals and satisfy their needs that way, too.

• Make friends out of customers and customers out of your friends.

• Become a trusted advisor.

• Give preferential treatment to the customers who really deserve it.

• Go out of your way. For example, to get to know a longstanding customer better, look up the date of his or her first order, and call or write them on the anniversary.

Click on the source link below for more ideas on improving your client relationships and why it’s important.

Source:

American Express Open Blog: Turn Friends Into Customers, and Customers Into Friends

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