4. Give your customers a promotional gift. You might want to consider sending them a letter opener, coffee mug or a calendar with your picture and contact information.

5. Establish a feedback system to find out how your customers perceive quality and quantity of service you provide.

How would your customers rate service you provide? Do you currently have a system in place to measure customer satisfaction? The young man in following story developed a unique but effective feedback system.

One evening Jim Rodgers walked into living room and overheard his fourteen-year-old son, Mark on phone. He was speaking to Mrs. Johnson who lived down street. Mark asked Mrs. Johnson if she needed a lawn service. “What’s that?” Mark responded, “You already have a boy who takes care of your yard? Tell me, how is he doing? Does he edge and trim way you like it? Does he clean up when he’s done? He does, huh and you’re happy with him. O.K. Thanks anyway.” As Mark hung up phone he turned around and saw his Father standing behind him with a surprised look on his face. “Mark, I thought you were already mowing Mrs. Johnson’s yard?” “I am, “ replied Mark “I just called to see how I was doing!”

3.Remember to make eye contact and listen with genuine interest. You are certain to create an unfavorable impression if you give your prospect idea that you are not fully present in conversation. Unfortunately, we are often busy game-planning our response instead of truly listening to what is being said. I suggest that you occasionally repeat verbatim what your prospect says – especially their key words or phrases. Restating in your own words serves to clarify communication, but you deepen rapport when you use their words.

4.During your needs analysis interview, I recommend that you ask open-ended, clarifying questions with who, where, what, when and how. Open-ended questions will require your prospect to give in-depth responses. Become an active listener. While it is important to educate your prospect about your product or service, as a general rule you should listen more than you talk. Keep your attention focused on your prospect and avoid temptation to interrupt and dominate conversation. The quickest way to destroy trust and rapport is to interrupt another person while they are speaking. If you do interrupt, minimize damage by apologizing and ask them to please continue.

5.Dress and act professionally. While it may seem unfair, we are judged on our appearance. Research indicates that people form a lasting impression of us within first five minutes. Be personable but not overly familiar. If appropriate, occasionally call your prospect by their first name. The sweetest sound to human ear is sound of our own name.