About Relationships and Marketing

by Clay Marafiote

Here is an article on The importance of Marketing Relationships.

I'm going to save you a bundle, all you have to do is keep on reading. And if you take what I tell you to heart, maybe you'll make a bundle, too.

A number of big businesses (ones that can afford to spend millions on market research) have come to an important conclusion:
Customers often buy from people they know and like.
Not exactly a revelation. Still, it's important to understand why Fortune 500 companies are building entire strategies around the idea.
For example, Wal-Mart trains employees to stop what they're doing and offer assistance any time a customer walks within 10 feet of them. It's a great way to make the customer feel like she's among people who care about her shopping experience.
Here's the point...

Take time to notice the relationships you are developing with customers and prospects. Think of ways you can connect with them, especially with past customers you haven't heard from in a while.

How might you go about doing this?
Send a "personal" letter; hold an "appreciation" event; call them.
Nothing too strategic or expensive... not an intricate Fortune 500-like CRM (Customer Relationship Management) program... just relatively simple, but much appreciated gestures.
The thing is, in our hyper-paced world, most companies don't commit the small amount of time and energy it takes to acknowledge their customers or clients.
Case in point: When was the last time someone you have purchased from communicated with you... outside of wanting to re-sell you? If you can't remember or it's a small percentage, imagine how you'll stand out from the crowd by taking the initiative.

The bottom line? Save yourself some research dollars, and know that a "relationship" is an important marketing tool.

Marketing Relationship Resources:

- Relationship marketing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The origins of relationship marketing.