Your customers are the lifeblood to your business. Without them, you have no business, and therefore no paycheck. A smart business move is to take the time it takes to build long lasting relationships between yourself and your customer.
Once someone busy you from you once, they are more likely to buy from you again in the future. This will net you more profit in the long-run, as generating repeat sales takes less time than constantly seeking out new one-time customers.
Creating quality products is definitely the first step in developing your customer relationship. If your products are anything less than great, your customers will not see a reason to order from you again. However, if you give them something beyond their expectations, they will want to try out more of what you offer.
The next step in relationship building is providing good customer service. When a customer contacts you, especially if it is with a problem, it is important to respond back in a timely manner. Remember, your customer pretty much thinks the world revolves around them. They are not thinking about all the other people who are requesting your attention. They are only thinking about the reason that they contacted you, and they want you to give them your full attention.
Staying in regular contact with your customer will ensure that they remember you and the other products and services you offer. People get busy and have a lot of things on their plate. They may have intended to order an additional item from you, but it just slipped their mind. You may want to send out a monthly newsletter to keep them updated on new items or any specials you are offering.
Speaking of specials, you may also want to consider having a few “customer only” sales each year or offering some other customer only incentive to motivate a repeat purchase. You may also want to send them an occasional freebie that coordinates with an item they already purchased, or an item that you will be launching in the future.
For example, if you sell day planners and you are coming out with a time management audio, send the customers who have bought a planner a free small report that covers some basic information about time management and let them know you are coming out with an audio that goes into more detail. Including a special “pre-launch price” on the audio will encourage further sales.
Creating a lifetime customer doesn’t happen overnight. It is a process that can take time. If you consistently show your appreciation and respect to your customers, you will be well on your way to creating lifetime relationships with them.