If Your Business Disappeared Tomorrow......

If your business disappeared tomorrow, would anyone

miss you?

Scenario One: you disappear and no one notices.  This tells 

you that whatever needs or services your product fulfilled, 

a competitor was able to replace.  What you had to offer

was a commodity, and all commodities can be replaced.

Scenario Two: you close your doors and your customers

can't imagine life without you.  This tells you that no one

else could meet your customers' needs the way you did.

Whatever you had to offer was not a commodity.

With these two scenarios in front of us, the question

remains, what would you be prepared to do to be 

irreplaceable?  We all want to be successful in our 

endeavours, however, when you're selling a commodity

you will always be looking over your shoulders.

So, what can you offer your customers that can't be 

replaced?  A Relationship!

Start by asking yourself these three questions:

1. Who are my customers?

2. What do my customers value my business for?

3. What can you bring to the relationship that will make

them feel like they are truly important when doing 

business with them?

When you've answered the above, this will help you to

paint a picture of your customer, yourself and your

business relationship.  There are many ways that you can

create unique relationships with your clients.  Here

are just a few suggestions:

Treat your customers as individuals with names.

Make your customers feel like they are on the inside by

providing them with tips on the industry.  Let them know

that you are on their side.

Educate.  Keep them informed about new developments 

and key trends affecting the products and services they are 

buying.

Show your customers they matter more than their money.

Give your customers something to talk about.

Do something remarkable for your customer.  Nothing over

the top but enough that it makes other talk about you.

Talk with your customers.  There is no substitute for

conversation to build a relationship.  Listen for two things:

anything that gives you more information about who your

customers are, and anything that tells you why they are

with you now.