Marketing
Making Money Through Relationshipsby Michael Stahl
When you gain a new customer you should always look at them as a customer for life and someone with whom you can develop a mutually beneficial relationship. The trust and dedication you build with people will make you money and give you a reliable income stream. If you are truly in business to succeed for the long-term then you must cultivate trusting relationships and be pro-active about keeping in touch with people. People who only look at their business as “one sale at a time” are being short-sighted to not see the potential of developing solid relationships. In addition to that, if you give up too soon before you get a sale you are decreasing your profit stream. In many cases a “no” at this moment just means “I need more time to understand the benefits”. Jeffrey Gittomer says that, “The sale begins when someone says no.” So keep cultivating relationships and know that, in most cases, you will not develop trust overnight. Although it takes some time, developing trust with key people and organizations can move your business to a higher, more successful level.
You should contact your target prospects and customers at least every other month with some kind of value-oriented communication. You could send articles that might be of interest to them or you could send newsletters, value-added postcards or special reports (all are discussed in depth later in your manual). These mailings should be accompanied by periodic phone calls and/or personal meetings. The point is that you are offering your prospects and clients some real value and that develops trust. When you build trust in your relationships your referrals, sales, loyal repeat business, media exposure and profits will increase significantly. Always look at the long-term potential for your business when you are giving the time and effort to develop life-long relationships. People want to know that you are sincere and once you have earned their respect your business will grow.
The important factor is time. Research discovered that confidence and familiarity are the top factors in someone’s decision to buy your products or services or to give you a referral. Price actually comes in last on the list. This does change though if you are some kind of a discount seller (like the one dollar an item stores that are now becoming very popular). For the most part though, people buy from who they like and from those with which they feel comfortable.
So don’t give up too soon on your relationship building and regular contact with people. It may seem fruitless when you are first beginning but studies have shown that more than 80% of all sales close between the fifth and ninth contacts. One of the biggest components to success is perseverance. You don’t want to quit searching right before you find your diamond in the rough - you never know how close you are to getting a breakthrough for your business.
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Michael L. Stahl is a professional speaker who teaches clients how to improve productivity, increase sales and decrease burnout. His presentations are known for being the perfect blend of content, enthusiasm and entertainment. To sign up for his FREE week
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