Doing business with your customers means that you buy from them as well as sell to them. Otherwise, you are just selling and servicing. That’s OK, but I think you are missing out on a golden opportunity.
When I consult or speak for a company, I go out of my way to buy their products or services. I bought my home from them, invest in their funds, bank with them, use them for shipping and even rely on them to do my taxes. Why? Level of service. It is through the roof! They know me, want to make me happy, and moreovoer I know them well too (and have a friend on the inside).
When you buy from your customers, you enter the virtuous circle — a positive feedback loop of commerce and trading. You ask them for your trust, extend yours to them, and the both of you grow in your relationships. Do a personal audit on your customer base to see if you’ve missed any opportunities to do business with them. This is old school business practice, but often overlooked in our business life.
Are we chasing the best price or the best match?
