9 Tactics to Create
Strong Customer Relationships
There is ONE
absolute in the world of marketing. No matter if it is in traditional, web or
social media. There is NO SUBSTITUTE for taking care of your customers. Your
goal should not be to satisfy your customers, but to AMAZE them. If you do that
one thing exceptionally well, every other marketing, sales, or promotional
activity will yield efficient and effective results. Offline or Online users
are always searching for something of value to them. Whether it’s information,
products, or services, they are looking for an answer to a question or a
problem. Online marketing tactics are especially important with the increase in
competition across the world wide web.
One of the
most important aspects of building any business is to create a business that
values and appreciates customers and potential customers. This means marketing
tactics that build a strong, trusting relationship with customers are
important. Building trust starts with the first encounter with your
receptionist, greeter and website and continues with every single subsequent
interaction.
According to
Nobel Prize-winning scientist Daniel Kahneman, we experience approximately
20,000 moments each and every day. A moment is the few seconds it takes for the
brain to evaluate and record an experience. These experiences can be either
positive or negative and your website, headlines, content, or responses can
make a huge difference in how people record the experience – and their reaction
also determines what people do next.
When people
visit your web site, they quickly scan the headline to see if they want to read
more. They continue reading if they are engaged and intrigued and they want to
learn more about what you have to say. This is a great place to start building
a relationship with customers. Be sure that you say what you have to offer and
do not make false promises or you’ll lose customers quickly.
It’s
important to build this connection with customers and website visitors to gain
their commitment and loyalty. They will also become tremendous assets as their
trust grows and they promote and advertise your website to their friends,
colleagues, and social network.
Relationship
marketing is a valuable marketing tactic for online entrepreneurs. It has been
an important part of sales in the off-line world for decades and now it has
found its way to the Internet.
But building a relationship online is
different than having a face-to-face discussion and opportunity to persuade
potential customers to make a purchase.
Some of the
most effective tips and methods deployed to begin building a positive
relationship include:
1.
Make
every customer interaction count.
2.
Follow-through
on commitments and claims about products or services.
3.
Offer
benefits and product value that responds to the customer’s desires.
4.
Treat
customers as individuals who are respected and valued.
5.
Listen
to customers – even complaints can be a gift if handled properly and quickly.
6.
Be
available and accessible when customers have questions, concerns, or comments.
7.
Surround
your customers with valuable information by using emails, website content,
social media, and other methods of outreach – but do not be invasive.
8.
Make
your website user-friendly and easy to navigate for new and existing customers.
9.
Create
a blog about your business where discussion is more casual and inviting.
Relationship-marketing
is not just a fad. It’s here to stay and people want to know that they are
valued and appreciated as an individual. Creating long-lasting relationships
helps to ensure long-lasting customers and repeat sales. It also encourages
existing customers to refer their colleagues, friends, and others to your
website.
Don’t take a
single customer for granted. Each and every interaction with a customer is a
gift and should be valued. If it weren’t already a great “life principal”,
treating people well and respecting them would be the best thing you could
invent to do, to ensure marketing and sales results