Building relationships is crucial to any business owner.  Establishing these relationships and growing them - both over long and short periods of time - can allow you to have more success.  It will also help keep your reputation in excellent standing.

(1) Make sure that you ask all of the right questions so that you truly understand your prospect's needs. Don't assume that you know what your customer wants or that they have the same needs as all of your other customers. Ask. This way you'll be sure.

(2) Give your customers exactly what they ask for. "Sort of" doesn't count. Make sure that you are delivering quality each and every time. In addition, don't oversell. Persuading a customer to take more product than they actually need will quickly make you a one-time resource.

(3) Make absolutely certain that your offering will solve your customers' problems or help them in the way they need to be helped. If your offering is not truly a solution, tell the truth. Selling a product/service that does not solve the problem it was purchased to solve may put money in your pocket in the short term but in the long term, it will guarantee that you lose the customer.

(4) Do everything you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it. Nothing builds trust and credibility like doing what you say you're going to do. And tell the truth no matter what. While sometimes being truthful might cost you a sale, in the long run the trust you build with your customers will more than make up for any lost revenue.

(5) Keep your new customer informed every step of the way. Whether it's a delay, a pricing issue, a mistake or any potential problem, let your customer know about it as soon as you know. Do not delay. They will find out eventually and not telling them personally and/or allowing them to discover it on their own will lose you business.

(6) Become a valued team member and go above and beyond your prospects' expectations. Show your customer that you are interested in their business. Invest time thinking about their needs and how you can help

(7) Show appreciation for your customers' business. Don't forget to say, "thank you."