No business can really stay afloat and be profitable without a customer base. However, as much as that sounds like solid common sense, in online business this is does work exactly in the same way that it works offline.

When you have a shop on the road, someone can come into the shop and buy a drink or buy a dress and they don’t need to know you. They go into your shop, check your merchandize and if they like something and the sales people are nice to them, they buy and then they leave. If they had a good experience with your shop and people they may even come back on day and buy more things from the shop. In the online business world this doesn’t exactly work in the same way, at least not for now, maybe some day, who knows.

The reality is that buying online products and services has one small disadvantage than shops. They can’t see you, can’t talk to your sales staff or people in the store and customers can’t touch and feel the products. This does put the online business owner at a small disadvantage in this sense.

Let me ask you a question: do you think it is easier to sell your product or services to a complete stranger or to a person you have had contact before; whether it's an email conversation, forum participation or even an existing customer relationship (i.e. He has bought something from you). Without doubt, it would be harder to sell to a total stranger who does not know whether or not you are an honest seller, and whether or not they should trust your words and believe that your product or services will truly benefit them.

And because in the online world the customer can’t see you in the store, or your products nor have contact with your staff members, this is precisely why you should build up a customer base -- a group of people who trust you and will most likely buy a product that you offer to them. This will ensure that you have a recurring and consistent source of income. When you release a product or make an endorsement, you have a group of people always ready to hear what you have to say.

Start Building Customer Base Through Your Online Participation

There are several sources that you can tap into to start building a customer base. For example, you can participate in an online discussion forum and give advice and help for free. It won't be long before people start to recognise your name and stop and listen every time you have something to say. You will become a valuable friend and teacher, and gain the trust of these people. Would you buy something your close friend recommends?

Build Customer Base With Mailing Lists

Another way to build a customer base is to build a mailing list. There are a gazillion methods to collect subscribers, but when it's boiled down to the very essence, it's all about proving your value to the crowd and offering an incentive to make people become part of your mailing list. A typical example would be a website choke-full of freely available, helpful and quality articles on a certain subject plus a "special report" that can be downloaded for free provided you give your email address. The rich content provides value, and the "special report" is the extra incentive.

Expand Customer Base Amongst Existing Customers

Yet another source for your customer base, which is often forgotten, is your existing customers. If you bought this product from this particular person and he answered patiently to your every question, would you buy from him again in the future? Definitely. When a customer has given you his money, that's not the end of the affair because by keeping in touch with him and developing a flourishing relationship with him, you will have a lifetime source of income. As long as you give valuable products and great service to your customers they will buy more and they will recommend you to their friends and family because they trust you.

Imagine if 100, 10,00 or even 10,000 customers are waiting to grab your newest products even before they are released! Hence, it's vital to build a customer base because it simply saves a lot of time and effort.