For small businesses, customer relationship plays a huge role. By having a disadvantage of a shorter reach and a smaller customer base, most small businesses live off from repeat customers. And the best way to generate repeat customers is to build a solid customer relationships with people.

 

Here are some simple ways on how you can do that.

 

Communication

The biggest advantage of being a small business owner is that you can build customer relationships one by one personally. Even if having a small customer base can be depressing, the upside is that it is easier to create loyal customers.

 

You can talk to them, establish rapport, and strengthen your connection. The stronger your connection with a customer, the easier it is to persuade them to get your products and services.

 

Network Building

As you connect with your customers, you can juice them up for additional contacts. It is like building a network of a friend of a friend. Some of those people can be your future customers. Some of them can be business partners. And some of them can become your best employees.

 

Network building is the best human resourcing technique. Take advantage of it as much as you can while your business is still on its infancy stage.

 

Word of Mouth

You have already heard this a thousand times before, but it still rings true. Your customers, especially the loyal ones, are the best sales people you will ever have. They can convince other people to get your service by spreading good words about you. They can hoard people and let other know about the existence of service — so on and so forth.

 

On the flip side, you must do the same thing for them! Humans are very keen on reciprocation. Again, as a small business owner, you still have the power to do everything on a personal level. If you want them to encourage them to spread word about you, you can spread word about them, too.

 

If your customer is a plumber and you have a hardware shop, you can tell your other customers or other connections about how good that plumber is. When that plumber serviced a customer and that customer asks where he gets his tools and materials from, that plumber can easily recommend you.

 

Make Them Repeat Business with You Using Rewards

Who does not love freebies? Whether it is a product, service, or just a few words of good advice, people will accept them. Give them rewards or freebies just to get them comeback to your business. Accustom them to think that whenever they repeat business with you, they will get more than what they will pay for. As we always mention, repeat customers are the best customers. So, be sure to take care of them and solidify your relationship with them.