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Small businesses face a unique challenge in the recession. They generally make do with a minimum of staff, so saving costs via payroll isn’t an option. That’s why good relationship marketing is essential. The small business manager needs to stay close to his or her customers, and make the effort to always know what they think, care, and worry about, as well as what inspires them, engages them, and excites them. At a time when companies are doing more with less, it’s important to focus your resources on customer relationship building.

The key to relationship marketing, contends Jay Forte, president of Humanetrics, is to ask great open-ended questions. These questions get customers to talk, share, and explain. You also must pay careful attention to the answers. Take notes. Develop the right responses. Show you care. Earn customers’ trust. And give them reason to stay with you.

Forte recommends asking these five questions to improve customer relations:

1. What is the most important thing you look for in a retail (service, construction, manufacturing, etc.) business? How do we measure up in this area?
   
   
2. Are we your first choice for products (services)? Why or why not?
   
   
3. What is the most extraordinary thing we have done for you? Why did this impress you?
   
   
4. If we could improve just one thing, what would be the most meaningful for you? What would the benefit be for you?
   
   
5. Have we made you feel part of our family? How? What else would you like to see to feel like family?

One-size-fits-all responses are ineffective with customers. Customize responses by learning what inspires, challenges, and encourages them. Develop a process to open the lines of communication, then gather and use the information to influence decision-making. This process is as critical to the success of an organization as cash flow, operations, marketing, and strategic planning.