Relationship Marketing Magic
Just like these plants can’t live without each other, your business will flourish with stronger relationships.
Grow Stronger Relationships
According to The Nielsen Corporation, a global provider of market research, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family over any other form of advertising. Sounds crazy, right? Well, not so much when you really think about it. How many times you’ve had someone ask you for advice on where to shop or receive a service?
We’ve all seen the Facebook post asking where to pick up cupcakes for a last-minute birthday party. Or a new neighbor crowdsourcing where to get the best sushi from. The average person asks about recommendations for services or products half a dozen times a year, or more! If you are like so many out there, you’re a savvy shopper and research before buying a product or receiving a service.
The truth is, approximately 70% of any new business’s customers will come from referrals or recommendations made by existing customers, influencers, or fans. Small business owners, take note!
Maximize Referrals!
If you aren’t getting new customers from recommendations or referrals it could be because you haven’t implemented a consistent Relationship Marketing strategy. The way you manage relationships can make or break your business success. Your customers need to feel unique, special and appreciated before they will become your biggest fans. You can be the absolute best at what you do and in the busy rush of your day to day miss this opportunity to show your customers how much you appreciate them. Creating an emotional connection.
Do’s and Don’t of Relationship Marketing!
Do connect with friends, customers, and your personal network about your business and services.
Don’t direct message a friend you haven’t spoken to in 10 years about your products and services.
Do take the time to keep notes and tag your customer database with their interest, important dates (like birthdays or anniversaries) and personal preferences. Also, keep your database clean by looking at it once a month and cleaning off any contacts that you haven’t been able to connect within the last 12 to 18 months.
Don’t blast a communication to every person you’ve known for the last 20 years if you haven’t keep up with them regularly in the past. A good rule of thumb is to reach out to contacts you’ve stayed in touch with over the last 18 months.
Do send emails, text messages, and direct mail to customers that subscribe to receive these communications. These are great tools to stay in touch without spending too much time.
Don’t send electronic communications to people that have not subscribed. A permission-based database is harder to achieve but will be 10 times more lucrative than cold emails and text messages.
Connecting to Your Potential Customers
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find a way to connect on a personal level with your potential customers. According to Constant Contact, a leader in the email marketing space, customers will spend up to 40% more with a brand they have a perceived relationship with. A solid Relationship Marketing Strategy will help develop an emotional connection that makes customers feel appreciated, happy, and fulfilled. Nurturing your relationships is the key to successfully transforming a customer into a raving fan. These fans not only return time and again, but they also go out of their way to recommend your business to their friends and family.
Communication Habits
To build strong relationships you need to master 3 things; your listening skills, your follow-up skills, and creating genuine emotional connections. I know it sounds like a no-brainer, but hear me out. You can’t fake it, you have to actually care about the people you are trying to connect with! Your loyal following will care about you too and it will create repeat customers for years to come.
Ask yourself, “Am I waiting for my chance to talk, or am I really listening to my customer’s passions, pain points, and needs?”
Patience in Relationship Marketing
One of the only disadvantages to Relationship Marketing is the time it takes to build momentum. As I mentioned earlier in the Do’s and Don’t “A permission-based database is harder to achieve but will be 10 times more lucrative than cold emails and text messages.” When starting a new Relationship Marketing plan, be kind to yourself. These marketing techniques take time to build upon and there is no quick fix to achieve lasting results. In the beginning, it can feel a bit like a car stuck in the mud, your wheels keep spining but you can’t seem to move forward. The hard truth is, you are probably not going to see results for at least 6 months, sometimes more. You have to be willing to invest the time and energy into creating genuine connections with your customers and be patient. Your efforts will pay off with a higher return on investment than any other form of advertising you can do.
Relationship Marketing Resources
Jump-start your Relationship Marketing Strategy by downloading and printing this free checklist or schedule a free* 1hr virtual consulting session with Melissa.
*1 free consulting session available for new Stay Sassy Media clients