Your Customer Relationships Are Critical to Your Success

Everyone in business knows that repeat customers are the keys to increased sales and long-term success. Estimates vary, but the conventional wisdom is that it’s much easier to retain an existing customer than it is to acquire a new one.

It’s not hard to see why. Exmerce customers coming back for a second purchase (this time in cash) have already developed trust in the quality of your offerings and the integrity of your business practices.

Not only are they going to buy from you again and again, but they’re also going to recommend you to business associates outside the Exmerce trade community.

So, it stands to reason that savvy business people want to do everything they can to turn first-time customers to regular buyers. With that in mind, here are three ways to build relationships that will do just that:

  1. Pay attention to your reputation

Believe it or not, you have a lot of control over what people think about you. The real trick to managing customer relations is to solicit feedback and then act on it.

This is particularly important when it comes to your website. It should include a place for people to make comments, and you need to read them every day and respond right away, whether the review is positive or negative.

Remember, Phase 1 in turning first-time buyers into regular clients is asking them what was good about their experience with your business, and what could be improved.

Phase 2 is doing what they tell you.

  1. Keep in touch with your clientele

More often than not, breakdowns in customer relationships occur because the clients feel you’re neglecting them. Using an automated messaging platform like GetResponse Mail Chimp, Constant Contact, or AWeber is an ideal way to keep in touch regularly.

So be sure to collect your customers’ email addresses when they buy and send them a short email every month or so.

And don’t forget to include a response link. This simple act of being available 24/7 is priceless.

  1. Make sure your employees demonstrate competence

Working relationships in the Exmerce trade community are based on trust, and trust is based on competence. Make sure your employees understand the fundamentals of your business and demonstrate them to every customer who comes through the door.

Your website should also look professional and be SEO optimized, so customers easily find you, especially from their cell phones.

Make sure it includes testimonials from people who’ve had good experiences with you in the past. And consider adding a blog containing insightful, informative posts relating to your industry.

At the end of the day, you build customer relationships by offering goods and services that improve people’s lives and then treating those buyers the way you’d like them to treat you.

It also helps to start with an excellent network to call on. And that’s where belonging to the Exmerce trade community can help.