To achieve long-term success in business, shift your focus from one-time transactions to establishing lifetime relationships with your customers.

"If you can shift your thinking away from merely selling and into building a relationship and establishing trust instead, even if it costs you a few bucks in profit, you'll begin to realize opportunities you never imagined." writes small business owner and author, Chris Zane, on Forbes.com.

What is a lifetime customer worth?  Compare a one-time commission versus a lifetime worth. Consider that the average homeowner buys a home every 7 years and has to sell their home, as well.  Multiply this by your average commission and it really adds up.

Give your customers more than they expect.  A great example is when we were buying a condo near a college campus for our daughter to live in.  Our realtor not only showed me properties when I could make it, but also offered to pick up my daughter (who had no car) from campus and show her around when her schedule permitted. Considering I live an hour away, this was very helpful and above and beyond the service I would expect.

Why does your customer need you?  In this connected society, most people will begin shopping for services and products online.  They come to you with a lot of knowledge about size of houses, prices, and neighborhoods before they even call you.  This can be a great starting point and now they need your expertise as an advisor to lead them through the details.

The customer needs to know they can rely on you.  Even if it's the smallest piece of advice or information, they need to know that they can call on you as their real estate expert.

Not worth your time?  Each contact is an opportunity to further your relationship with that client. It doesn't always have to add up to "another dollar in the cash register," Zane cautions.

"Our goal is to show our customers that we want each of them to feel they can always rely on us," he says.  "By focusing on the lifetime value of each customer and delivering an exceptional experience, we are able capture 100% of our customer's lifetime value."

Read more about What a Lifetime Customer is Worth at Forbes.com

photo credit: Jeremy Brooks

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