Starting an ezine or newsletter? I use Topica, http://www.topica.com/ for my mailing list. Type up your ezine in a text processor, copy it, and paste it into "Post message" box. They supply sign-up code for your web page, although you can adapt this, or use your own, if you prefer. They will provide on-line archives, but these can only be read by Topica members, so I keep mine on my web site as well. eGroups is a similar service - they are now part of Yahoo! - http://groups.yahoo.com/

Auto-responders can be used to send out information to anyone who requests it. I use OttoResponder from Newbie Club, http://newbieclub.com/responder/?pramclub and GetResponse from http://www.getresponse.com for my articles, "lessons by e-mail", and sample ezine. For example, if you send a blank e-mail to mailto:fsb-lessons@getresponse.com , you will get a list of my free e-mail lessons. You can send out a series of e-mails, or just one. You choose an account name, and post your e-mail message(s) to that account. Every time a blank e-mail is sent to that e-mail address, your auto-responder sends out information you've stored.

Some of my favourite freeware sites: http://www.completelyfreesoftware.com/ http://www.webattack.com/ http://www.jumbo.com/ http://www.moochers.com/

3. Provide your customers with a shipping confirmation message and a tracking number. (If you are using a shipping process that allows you to track shipping status of orders).

4. Make your phone number highly visible on your web site.

Many Internet businesses think that they do not have to talk to customers because they have a web site and they do not a physical store. If you think talking to customers, solving their problems and addressing their concerns is not worth your time, you are wrong! Making it easy for customers to conduct business with you, is what building a relationship is all about.

5. Provide details of your customer service policy and response time.

Show your customers that you care about them. Post your customer service policies. "We return all e-mail inquiries within 24 hours". If this is your policy, then make sure you do it. Most consumers on Internet are surprised if a company responds to inquires within 24 hours. If you can do it faster, you can start building relationships faster.

6. Have a process for handling large problems with customer orders.

Make sure your order form requires customers telephone number. If you have a big problem filling a customer's order, have your customer service person call them on telephone. That's right, call them on telephone! If you think it exceeds a customers expectations by responding to their e-mail request within 24 hours, imagine kind of relationship you can build if you call them, instead of waiting 24 hours for them to respond to your e-mail.

7. Technical F.A.Q.'s

Make sure your web site has complete and current technical information. If you want your customer service people off of phone, make it easy for your customers to solve their own technical problems. You can do this by offering easy to read and easy to follow technical advice on your web site. Don't forget to let customers know how quickly you will respond to their technical questions too! Our advice is, faster you can respond better your relationship will be.

Implement these seven easy steps and you will be on your way to building relationship based transactions, that will last a lifetime!