You could say that in high school, I was a lot like Zach Morris of Saved by the Bell fame. Not so much in the teenage heart-throb sense, but in the “how can I get rich quick” sense. I was always coming up with plans to quickly and easily make money.

I mentioned in my last post that by the age of 13 I had found my niche: computers. As a sophomore in high school, I began using the computer to make money. I did computer repair, and had a very lucrative (albeit short lived) foray in making mix CDs.

With the mix CDs, I succeeded for a few reasons. I charged $5/CD, which admittedly was a bit much; but people were willing to pay it. That’s because I offered my peers a guarantee. I’d have the CD to them in two days, with a case, labels, and other bells and whistles. I also guaranteed satisfaction. If it wasn’t good, I’d redo it. It was because of this that people kept coming back, and referred others to me. I also searched through office supply magaizines looking for deals on blank CDs and cases. I was often able to get supplies at a 50% or even 100% discount using instant and mail-in rebates,  maximizing my profit.

With computer repair, it was a bit different. I was able to get repeat and referred business again, but this time it was by gaining the trust of my customers. I’d do some free work or consulting to show them I knew a thing or two. I also deeply undercut the competition and told my customers that they were really getting ripped off at places like Best Buy and Circuit City. Once people saw me as trustworthy, I was able to get more referrals and increase my customer base- and that is incredibly important.

It was during this time that I learned my first very important lesson: the power of word of mouth. Repeat and referred business is a staple in any good business. Establishing a good report and trust with your clients can get you a lot of good work and you will establish a good reputation. Make sure you’re good to your clients and that you show them the same respect they show you (dealing with disrespectful clients is a story for another time). If you treat them well, they will treat you well, and you’ll be rewarded with more business down the line.

Tags: beginning, clients, referrals, relationships | Posted in Advice, Stories |