The flow of information and communication is incredibly important in business–even in a small, home-based business like yours (and mine.) In fact, I think that having an open-door policy and creating an environment where our customers and clients feel they can come to us with any problem–big or small–may be even more important in a small business. We need our customers and clients to know they can depend on us and get in touch with us whenever they need us.
In order for our customers and clients to know that they can ask us anything–we have to set the stage. I do not think I can talk enough about openness and honesty when it comes to business communication and relationships. I know that I have written about honesty and listening skills, but we really do have to set the stage for openness with our prospects and clients as well. They need to know that if they ask us about a particular product, service, or problem, we will give the best answer we can and not take things personally.
Encourage your customer base to bring their questions and problems to you. Ask them if they have any questions and take care in how you answer them. If they learn they can rely on you to answer with honesty and directness, they will consider you the “go to” person when they have need for related information. You do not need to pretend like you know all the answers or bluff–it is perfectly acceptable to admit that you don’t know the answer but that you will try to find out and get back to them. Take every comment and question seriously (instead of shrugging them off, ignoring them, or making fun) and make sure that you do your best to provide reliable answers. This can be the basis of some very strong and loyal customer and client relationships.