What is Relationship Marketing? people ask …

Wikipedia defines Relationship Marketing as emphasizing customer retention and satisfaction, rather than dominant focus on sales transactions.  It differs from other forms of marketing recognizing the long-term value of customer relationships and extending communication beyond advertising and sales messages.

However, if you want to stay in business, you’ll need to receive as well as you give, and that translates to — making sales.  It only make sense that Relationship Marketing is about creating long term clients, and gaining their trust to keep purchasing from you time and time again, year after year.

Relationship Marketing Strategies :

The internet opens many collaborative and social networking channels to managing customer relationships.  For example, increased inbound traffic with a website, strategic content and good search engine optimization (SEO).

The strategy also spans throughout the whole organization as all customer and prospect’s point of contact can nurture the interaction with the long-term relationship in mind.

Relationship marketing can also be carried out using technology to automate communication and marketing touch points.  These sequences have a common goal of attracting and closing more sales with new clients, as well as maintaining existing clients and enticing them to continue the win/win arrangement.

Here’s an example.  Many years ago I bought a home.  About four years later, I was ready to buy another one, but I couldn’t remember who my agent was, so I found a new one.

Another example: Someone came knocking on our door last year to offer exterior renovations to our home.  We knew we needed it, but only this year are we ready.  Their brochure is long gone, and they haven’t stayed in touch.

How much of your marketing efforts are just getting started, but there isn’t enough ‘touch points’ in the sequence, so you lose touch with your prospects and they forget who you are?

How many of your clients of over two years ago still know you are in business?  A lot has changed in two years.  Don’t assume people still know, like and trust you.  Keep them warm.

If your relationship marketing can use a tune-up, you might want to consider my Relationship Marketing Boot Camp.  p.s.  Not local or able to attend? No problem. Contact me to mentor your or your team on relationship marketing strategies. 705-498-1818