Contact Into Customer

One of the key tasks faced by any business person is to develop strong and lasting relationships. These relationships can take many forms and may begin at any stage – for example, an individual who was referred to you personally by a satisfied long-time customer will not require much time investment before they are ready to purchase your product. On the other hand, budding entrepreneurs may have to convince a cautious and sceptical marketplace that their revolutionary new service is worth gambling on – completely from scratch. Clearly these tasks are very different in their scope, but the skills involved are identical. It’s all about informing them of your product, making them feel valued, and making yourself stand out.

Information
The fact is, nobody with any business sense will buy anything that they aren’t completely convinced by. Whilst there are certainly a few risk-takers out there, few are so bold as to jump into a new deal without getting a clear image at least of what they will be getting out of it. If you’re providing something completely new, your task is clear. You will need to explain your product or service; what problem it solves, how it will integrate with the potential client’s business, and the end benefit. If your idea is good enough, you’ve got a good chance of succeeding. Those who are entering a more saturated market face a different issue – you’ll need to convince decision makers that your business is a better supplier than whichever one they are currently buying from. Remember that their main interest is, quite simply, ‘How will this affect our bottom line’? Show that you can increase their profits, whether directly or indirectly, and you’ll have gone a long way towards convincing them.

Valuing Them
It’s well known that retail customers are more likely to shop at stores which offer good customer service. This phenomenon is not confined to that one sector, but is universal. Make your clients feel like they matter and that they will receive a pleasant and personal service, and you can help sway their decision on your direction. Business people are human just like everybody else. Even if competing providers are a little more expensive, most people would prefer to pick up the phone and talk to somebody who’s warm, friendly and straightforward. You can give this impression with simple verbal and non-verbal indications, such as eye contact and a firm handshake. One notable tip is to repeatedly address the other person using their name. Everybody loves hearing their own name, and by directly engaging in this way you can be sure that they’ll remember you as someone who is personable.

Making Yourself Stand Out
This step is fairly simple. To make sure that you’re remembered, you can do one of two things. You can do something unconventional, such as hold a meeting at an unusual venue, or you can supply them with something which will remind them of you. The former approach can take a lot of consideration, but yields long-term rewards. An executive who’s been subjected to 20 years of high-end restaurant meetings might yearn for a discussion at a normal, blue collar bar, for example. You would then be remembered as the person who broke the monotony which had been building up for all that time. Giving them something to remember you buy is comparatively easier, and probably cheaper. For example, promotional golf gifts can round off a game and remind the contact of you and your business every time they tee off.
By Katie Philips  a freelance blogger writing widely on business and tech topics.