Let me clarify what I mean by not having customers. Most people would classify a customer as someone who buys a product or service from you. If you see people who buy your products and services as simply potential buyers of things then you are completely missing the boat.



What you should see from people who purchase from you are potential clients. Clients are people with whom you build a long term relationship by determining their needs and goals and finding a way to fulfill those needs and goals. This does not mean selling them the sizzle instead of the steak or any other form of selling them something that does not take them in the direction of their goals.

This does mean finding out everything you can about your potential clients needs and goals. Who are they, what is their family life like, what is their troubles and how can you help them to alleviate the trouble and reach their goal?

Make sure you qualify your potential clients to assure your products and services are right for them and they are right for you. If your product or service is not right for them or they are not right for you do not be adverse to saying ?Sorry, I can't help you.? The first way you build a client relationship is to assess your potential clients needs and if you and they are a fit. Once you see they do fit then you are well on your way to building a lasting relationship.

In a buy sell relationship you have people trying to sell you something all the time. Every time you hear from them it is to sell you something. I don't know about you but I really get tired of this type of relationship. I like to believe the person on the other end of the sales pitch has my interest at heart even when I know that isn't true.

When we are talking about selling on the internet, sales pitches are getting ridiculous. I have been on people's list where I get a sales letter from them every day and sometime the same sales letter more than once. These people may care about the quality of their products but they care very little about a relationship with their customers. What they do care about is a sale and a profit.

What they fail to realize is that what they get in profits by making these types of sales could actually be increased many times over by creating a real client relationship. The trouble is that this client relationship is too much trouble to create.

I know you have heard of Joe Girard, the famous car salesman who sold more cars than anyone else ever has. He built his entire business by sending thank you cards. In fact, he sent so many, he employed 3 full time staff members to send them out for him. He sent out thousands of cards every month and on the front of the card he said ?I like you?.

If this worked for him then there is absolutely no reason to believe it will not work for you. Just imagine that over the course of the year you spent $10 on sending cards to one family. If you got just one referral from that family you would make enough profits to send them cards for years. If you get several over the course of several years you would build a referral business like you have never imagined.

Think about it for just a minute. What would your business and profit ratio be like if you increased you sales in the next year by just 20% . Would that be worth sending out a few hundred cards.

If you could find a way to make sending cards to your clients easy and affordable would you be interested?