The past several months of COVID lock-downs have shown us just how valuable and meaningful our relationships really are … with family, friends, co-workers and, yes, our current and future customers.
So how can we as sales leaders optimize our customer relationships to make them survive and thrive as we move forward?
Here are 4 simple ways …
1. Show Understanding
Building relationships is all about understanding customers as they really are … their attitudes, likes, dislikes, values, wants and needs. When we work to understand our customers better, we can collaborate with them more easily and effectively providing them with exactly what they’re looking for.
2. Show Your Human Side
Technology and social are essential to building customer relationships, but we as sales leaders are the human force behind both. Work to build that human connection. Take the time to send quick texts or emails that relate to your customers’ interests. Show your human side … make every effort to make customers feel special and important … without selling them.
3. Identify and Deliver Value
Ask yourself first, “What value are we providing?” Is it support, responsiveness, delivery, price or … Communicate your value message consistently. Focus on making it clear to your customers. Check in regularly to make sure the value you’re delivering is still on target. Simply ask, “How can we improve what we’re currently providing?”
4. Stay Connected
Building relationships is not just a one-off experience. It’s the result of a long term investment of time and energy in the building process. When you work to stay connected over time, rewards always follow … future wins, personal and financial returns, and ongoing referrals to new customers.
Try these 4 simple ways to rock your relationships and watch how fast they’ll grow.