It’s been less than two years since I started my one-person business. Despite being in the early stages, I’ve been fortunate enough to thrive, and those around me say I’ve succeeded. However, my mind is constantly in unease. After all, one hit doesn’t guarantee eternal glory.
I’m always grateful to the customers who come to me, but I also know they won’t keep coming forever. I want a more solid customer base so that they can establish ongoing transactions with me. I’m curious about how to maintain a consistent relationship with them.
The question really boils down to how to establish ongoing transactions with customers. Persistence is key in all areas, not just in business. Whether it’s maintaining transactions, sticking with studies, or keeping up an exercise regimen, the challenge lies in cultivating that persistence.
Here are ways to establish ongoing transactions. I hope you’ll consider the nature of your industry and take some time to ponder.
1. Pay attention to the customer’s desires
Establishing a transaction once might be easy, but doing it two or three times can be challenging. Customers always demand cheap and good service. However, their desires are a bit different. While demands are in the head, desires are in the heart.
If how can I profit? is a demand, then how can I enjoy? is a desire. To create consistent profits, you must consider the customers’ wishes. You need to know what the customers want from their heart.
When I was doing business in Hong Kong, I visited the office of a buyer who was famous for being a big spender. There were many paintings on the wide wall of his spacious office. So, I guessed the buyer was interested in paintings and asked him about them.
What are all these paintings? How do you know so much about paintings? Then, he talked about paintings for over 30 minutes. Although I couldn’t sell anything that day, my relationship with him improved significantly. He even connected me with other potential customers who might buy my products. Do you understand what I’m saying? The moment you show interest in the customer’s desires and your sincerity, even for a moment, you can finally take the first step.
2. Keep creating small connections
People prefer to do things with people they see regularly. So, what should you do? It would be best if you were routinely seen. You need to show your face regardless of the type of the encounter. As creating a small connection consistently, when they need a specific product, they would find no one but you.
Do you know what product confectionery companies in South Korea first launched when they entered the distribution line? It was gum. Before introducing other products, they stamped their name firmly with the cheap and familiar product, gum.
The same goes for one-person businesses. Don’t try to be result-oriented from the beginning, but do start by creating small connections. The relationship can be continuous only when the opponent is impressed by you from those trivial and minor encounters.
3. Ask for referrals from existing customers
There are two main ways to create ongoing transactions. One is to get repeat purchases from existing customers, and the other is to get referrals. Referrals bring you new customers.
But not everyone who is referred becomes a new customer, right? So, asking as many people as possible for introductions would be best. Just as the other person can’t guess my feelings unless I confess, they won’t know unless I ask.
When doing business in Hong Kong, I always give my customers two business cards. I told them to keep one and give the other to someone they thought should introduce me. That way, I received a lot of introductions. Looking at the one-person business program I’m running, none of the graduates were people I initially knew.
They all came to me through referrals. The most decisive reason I could successfully get referrals was because I had good relationships with those customers. Since I had helped them, I could also receive help in return. It’s a win-win situation.
1. Pay attention to the customer’s desires
2. Keep creating small connections
3. Ask for referrals from existing customers
Today, we discussed how to create ongoing transactions with customers. I hope you’ll put aside result-oriented thinking and make steady efforts with a mindset of sowing seeds. Thank you.
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