We talked last month about needs-based selling https://www.hawthornbusinessgroup.co.uk/needs-based-selling-2/ ? and the importance of fully understanding your customer’s business if you want to build strong long-term relationships with them.
But how do we go about doing this? Here are a few tips:
- The best way to get to know your customers is to ask them questions about their business.
- Make an effort to get to know them. Not just the regular meetings – ask for a tour of their factory or warehouse, or a tour of specific work they’ve completed or properties they’ve developed.
- Be proactive in uncovering their needs. Their business will be constantly changing and growing and their needs today will different tomorrow, just as they were different yesterday.
- Try to add value to their business in everything you do. Always make sure that you focus on their needs rather than on the product that you want to sell them.
- Make sure that they’re included in your networking circle. Try to refer new customers to their business.
Being relationship focused means putting your customer first in everything you do.