For my entire career I have worked to build strong customer relationships. I do so in various ways:
- First, I add value to the company; without doing so everything else is irrelevant.
- Second, I take a sincere interest in my contact’s professional goals. Over time, I talk to them about their accomplishments and failures.
- Lastly, I take an interest in them personally: kids, marriage, vacations, family, etc.
We all come to work every day looking to accomplish something. I personally have found that building great relationships is as rewarding as building a great company.
This article puts some data and numbers behind Brand vs. Relationships. I just grin knowing that I might be doing something right.