How To Use Relationship Selling To Win Customers in Retail (2025)

Most days, ecommerce sales occur without any face-to-face interaction. Customers can find your brand online, peruse your product pages, and complete purchases without exchanging a single word with a sales rep. Whether consumers buy coffee pods or cookware, the path to purchase is more self-directed than it used to be.

Yet, certain scenarios still demand more than the standard impersonal ecommerce checkout transaction. A business may need to assuage concerns about product assembly when selling an expensive bed frame or answer a long list of questions so a customer feels comfortable signing up for your premium software subscription. 

This is where relationship selling comes in—bringing expertise, trust, and personal connection to the modern shopping experience. It’s relevant for any purchase where a shopper might hesitate to hit “Checkout” without first exchanging a few questions over email, jumping on a call, or having some back-and-forth with a real person.

What is relationship selling?

Relationship selling is a sales method in which retailers and brands build meaningful, personal connections with customers in support of long-term revenue goals. Unlike transactional selling, which focuses on quick, anonymous checkouts (common in everyday ecommerce), the relationship selling process focuses on investing time in understanding customer needs and building lasting connections that extend beyond a single purchase. It requires regular check-ins, thoughtful follow-ups, and personalized recommendations on the part of sales reps so they can develop lasting customer relationships.

Use cases for relationship selling

Relationship selling is common in industries that require expertise and consultation, including: 

• Enterprise software sales, where million-dollar deals need careful nurturing
• B2B wholesale purchases and B2C sales of bulk orders
• Luxury goods requiring white-glove service
• Custom products where detailed specifications matter, like made-to-order furniture
• Real estate, where properties demand extensive discussion and negotiation

For example, a hotel manager working with a B2B fragrance provider likely wants to discuss scent profiles and diffusion systems before placing a substantial order for their properties. A first-time luxury watch buyer may want guidance from a knowledgeable concierge before investing in a timepiece that will become a family heirloom. An interior designer might need expert input about fabrics and dimensions before finalizing that custom sectional for their client’s home.

Why consider relationship selling for your ecommerce business?

To implement relationship selling tactics, you’ll need dedicated sales staff, account managers, and tech to support ongoing customer relationships. This high-touch approach differs greatly from the quick-tap checkout process for your typical direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand. But, for the right products and customer segments, relationship selling can offer these benefits:

Refine your strategies with better information-gathering

When your sales team has meaningful conversations with customers, you gain insights that analytics alone can’t provide. For example, a luxury bag retailer might learn that customers frequently ask about complementary leather keychains, revealing an opportunity for a new product line.

These direct conversations help identify pain points too—like discovering your custom drapery customers struggle with fabric selection because swatches look different on their screens than in reality. These insights can refine everything from product descriptions and photography to bundling strategies.

Increase customer retention and value of sales

When customers feel personally supported throughout the process of making a big purchase, they’re more likely to return to your business the next time they need to buy a high-ticket item. According to a Salesforce report, “84% of business buyers are more likely to buy from a company that demonstrates an understanding of their business goals.” That same report found that 91% of all customers are more likely to return to a business that offers a great, personalized customer service experience.

Build brand advocacy and generate quality referrals

Sales professionals who can build authentic relationships turn satisfied customers into brand advocates. For example, a customer who received exceptional guidance while selecting office chairs for their business will likely recommend your company to fellow entrepreneurs considering similar purchases. 

Referrals come with built-in trust, as new customers arrive already confident in your expertise and service level. Word-of-mouth marketing is so successful in part because the vast majority of customers trust suggestions from friends and family more than traditional ads.

5 relationship selling techniques

1. Start with a form
2. Research ahead of reaching out
3. Keep a digital customer Rolodex
4. Offer a concierge service
5. Share relevant customer case studies

Many of the same principles behind personal relationships apply to a good sales relationship—from active listening to following through on promises to maintain consistent communication. However, when it comes to the business side of relationship building, these specific techniques can help strengthen your approach:

1. Start with a form

A thoughtful form submission process can be the first step in a successful relationship selling strategy, though it’s not always necessary for every high-touch sale. While B2B retail businesses like wholesale furniture providers often require detailed applications, even business-to-consumer (B2C) retailers might use forms for custom orders—like a luxury jeweler collecting preferences before crafting an engagement ring.

Placing a detailed form on your website helps qualify potential clients and collect information before initiating the sales process. This initial screening allows your brand to determine if there’s potential for a long-term relationship by understanding the customer’s budget, timeline, and any meaningful details about what they’re looking for.

Brooklinen, known primarily for its direct-to-consumer luxury bedding, also maintains a B2B trade and hospitality division. Its trade application form captures important details about potential partners—from basic company information and tax exemption status to project scope and referral source—ensuring their sales team can evaluate whether they can have a mutually beneficial relationship with a partner.

2. Research ahead of reaching out

While relationship selling means connecting with many new potential customers, it’s best not to enter these conversations cold. Before your first meeting, take time to research your prospect. If you use a form, it will give you direction for deeper investigation; if not, you can gather meaningful insights with just a name.

Check LinkedIn profiles or personal social media accounts to understand their background and interests. What you’re looking for will depend on your business; a custom furniture maker might want to understand a client’s design aesthetic from their Instagram or Pinterest page, while a commercial cookware supplier might study a restaurant’s menu and service style to recommend appropriate equipment packages. Regardless, enter these interactions prepared.

3. Keep a digital customer Rolodex

Relationship selling works best when you can deliver personalized attention. While you aim to connect on a personal level with each customer, managing hundreds of customers requires more than just good memory—it demands tech tools to track these relationships. 

Modern customer relationship management (CRM) systems let you build detailed customer profiles that include contact information, past purchases, conversation histories, and important notes—like a customer’s preference for morning meetings or their upcoming store opening. You can set reminders to follow up every few months, get notifications for key dates like business anniversaries, and ensure smooth handoffs if a team member departs. Think of it as a digital Rolodex that helps your entire team maintain multiple relationships with the personal touch of a local business.

For example, a luxury handbag brand might log a client’s previous purchases to recommend complementary items from future collections. The company might also input details like the customer’s birthday and send the customer a small gift on that date.

4. Offer a concierge service 

A concierge service provides dedicated, one-on-one guidance to help customers navigate complex purchases; it’s like having a trusted adviser on call. Unlike standard customer service that reacts to problems, a concierge proactively builds an emotional connection with customers by serving as an active listener and dedicated guide through complex purchasing decisions—whether that’s selecting the perfect engagement ring or designing a custom bookshelf.

Consider Brooklyn Bicycle Co.’s approach to concierge service. The brand’s stores feature a welcoming environment with hot coffee, engaging staff, and test rides. The company extends this high-touch experience online through a free concierge service that replicates its showroom’s personal approach, using an initial quiz to gather customer preferences and following up with a phone call from a concierge.

5. Share relevant customer case studies

For high-priced items or involved sales cycles, buyers may want more than your word—they may want to hear from your past customers. Through case studies and video testimonials, you can close more deals by demonstrating the success that long-standing customers have had with your business. This sales technique helps validate the customer’s choice by presenting the successful outcomes of others who’ve made similar decisions. Talk through these case studies and testimonials with prospects who need more information to proceed with a sale, then keep them stored on your website so customers can refer back to them. 

For example, Renu Therapy manufactures premium cold plunge tanks with price tags starting at $9,000. Understanding the significant investment its customers make, it has compiled an impressive library of video testimonials featuring well-known actors, NASCAR drivers, and professional athletes sharing their love of the product—proof points that appeal to the brand’s audience of health-conscious consumers.