Relationships are one of the most crucial components of our lives. No matter in our personal life or professional career, cultivating strong and healthy relationships are important to creating a happy and successful existence.
But how important are relationships in business? Well, no man is an island. And no business can succeed without developing strong relationships with employees, suppliers, and most of all, your customers.
Relationships Build Loyalty
Building strong relationships with your customers does much more for your business than making a sale. When your customers know you and see you as more than just another product or service provider, they’ll begin to build loyalty toward your business and that builds trust. And nobody likes to think about mistakes being made, but when your customer trusts you, they’re much more willing to overlook and forgive a minor faux pas.
So by developing a strong relationship with customers and earning their trust, they will move past issues that come up more easily knowing that you’ll address their concerns and resolve their problems to the best of your ability.
Relationships Create an Image
It’s difficult for a person to feel like they truly know you when you’re a faceless corporate entity. But by building relationships, you’ll bring a human face to your business that customers can relate to and come to love.
This is why large corporations create mascots and hire spokespersons to deliver their message to potential customers. If you relate to a character, actor or public figure and trust what they have to say, then chances are you’ll also trust the company they represent.
But you don’t have to hire a celebrity or create a cute cartoon character for your customers to develop a positive identity behind your business. Those who work in your business and yourself are the most important spokespeople you have at your disposal.
That’s why building good relationships with your employees is also extremely important. Remember, they’re usually on the front lines in day to day interactions and a lot of times your biggest fan willing to evangelize for you and recruit new customers. So be sure to emphasize how important employees are to the business and reward them for successes.
Relationships Are Your Best Advertising
When you have a satisfied customer, happy employees and happy suppliers, a funny thing starts to happen…you get more customers! The best method of advertising is word-of-mouth. Not only is it usually free, but it’s the most effective way of converting a prospect into a customer.
We tend to look to others for advice when we’re making purchases. Most times we start with online reviews or talk to friends and colleagues, but we’re always looking for recommendations when we need to buy products or services. So, when you’ve built strong and lasting relationships with customers, suppliers and employees, guess who they’re going to send their friends and family to when they need what you offer?
So, put yourself out there and start developing valuable business relationships. After all, your business is only as strong as the people-and the relationships-that support it!
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If you’re looking to build growth, reputation and evangelism for your business, schedule a Complimentary 45-Minute Consultation.