|
Lisa Orrell, The Promote U Guru 
|
What is Relationship Marketing and Why Care?October 18th, 2013Hi All! In this “age of the consumer”, smart marketers understand the true value of customers to their business and are increasingly focusing on becoming a Youtility for them; marketing what is wanted by them, instead of marketing what you THINK they want or need. Relationship marketing is the key to competing for attention today by appealing to the senses of the people you are trying to attract. Here are five tips to succeed at relationship marketing: 1. Changing from “What We Do” to “What You Need” While you compete for attention in the marketplace, the key to marketing and sales success lies in discovering precisely what your customer’s need, rather than wasting their time telling what you have to offer. The idea is to understand your customer’s basic needs and coming up with a solution they are looking for. If you can hold their hand at this time, it will be the beginning of a long-term relationship. 2. Communication is Key Constant and frequent communication with clients is the key to enjoying a successful relationship. If you’re not communicating with existing and potential customers, you are missing out on big business opportunities! Establishing a constant communication connection with your prospects and customers will boost your relationship marketing efforts. Lack of constant contact will give your competitors a chance to step in between the two of you, making you vulnerable to losing business. 3. Retain Existing Customers It is even more cost-effective to focus more on selling your services to present customers rather than splurging dollars on marketing to your target audience, as existing clients can help promote your business through word of mouth endorsement, build referrals, and reduce marketing expenses. Your success at retaining existing customers will pay off in the long run, and save you time and money. 4. Position Yourself as an Expert It is important that your audience sees you as an expert in the field, who has answers to their problems. The more knowledgeable you appear to prospects, the more attractive you become to them and the greater the chances of further engagement. Focus on building a Personal or Company Brand, that can be trusted on all levels! 5. Grow to Meet Client Needs One of the keys to improving business-customer relationships is by being flexible and scalable to cater to the ever-changing needs of them. It is crucial that you take time to ensure you grow to meet those requirements. Conduct regular surveys and polls to be aware of the changing client needs and market demands. Valuing your customer’s changing needs and offering solutions accordingly will help expand your relationship marketing campaign and boost your business and branding. Pay close attention to client feedback and use it to improve your offerings. The key to a long-term business-customer relationship lies in presenting yourself as a resource center and positioning you and your business as the obvious choice for consumers…but that won’t happen if you don’t focus on THEM first! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa  Leave a Reply |
