Substance and Style

If you want bigger payoffs from your marketing efforts, it’s important to focus on building key relationships. Even though it can take more time to move leads through your sales funnel with this approach, most people find that they get more loyal long-term customers this way. It also sets you apart in the age of automation. Here are some tips for getting started:

1. Get specific with your buyer personas. If you want to cultivate deeper relationships, you need to dig deep into what your ideal customers are all about. It’s not enough anymore to know basic demographics like age and income. You must be tuned in to the values, pain points, and preferences of your target market, especially if they are young. To craft a messaging strategy that resonates, your customer or client profiles should include an understanding of your audience’s industries, responsibilities, and decision making processes. As always, your entire marketing and sales approach should be centered around their needs. 

2. Find your leads where you’re an expert. Join industry groups and pages online. Respond to questions and comment knowledgeably on topics of interest. Become known in those circles. Leverage those connections by reaching out to leads and gently nudging them toward your website, social media pages, and, eventually, your sales funnel. It’s also a good idea to attend conferences in person when you can. Be wherever your customers are, online and in the real world. 

3. Keep track of all your communications. Whether you need a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool or not depends on your own business strategy and goals, but, even if you don’t use one, you should be keeping track of every time you contact a lead. This will allow you to personalize your approach by referring to previous conversations and addressing the specific needs of each person you talk to. This makes your customers and potential customers feel appreciated. It will also give you a good idea over time of which strategies are working with which of your buyer personas, how long it typically takes to close a deal, and what you need to change to improve your bottom line. 

4. Be a trusted advisor. As you start to build actual relationships with potential customers, move yourself into the role of trusted expert. Offer free advice and even full-blown free consultations. Online, provide truly useful educational content. Offer solutions for pain points and information people need to make decisions about buying.  

5. Create specific account-based marketing campaigns. Even though creating individualized campaigns is time-consuming and potentially expensive, nurturing the leads with the highest potential for conversion is a smart strategy. If you single out the people most likely to be high-value customers and create personalized campaigns for them, you are far more likely to get a high return on your investment. 

6. Show customer appreciation. Again, look for a personal details that have come up in previous interactions. If you’re mailing postcards to your biggest clients at the end of the year, for example, slip in a personal note (“say hi to Susan and the kids,” “I hope to see you at the Chamber breakfast,” etc). Even in business relationships, people like to feel that you care about them as a person.

While building relationships takes more effort than general marketing, especially in the beginning, it’s a proven way to build up a solid foundation of loyal customers.