You May Have the Client. But How’s the Relationship?

• DateDecember 11, 2019
• AuthorLeah Swearingen
• Categories
  • Featured

“Customers equate brands with experiences. . .our association with a brand is based on how it makes us feel.”

~ Daniel Newman, Contributor at Forbes

You may be the best butcher, baker, or candlestick maker around. Your law practice, financial firm or CPA business may have assembled the sharpest professionals with the highest expertise available. But what about the quality of your client relationships?

That’s where relationship marketing comes in. Relationship marketing helps close the gap between your expertise (which is what drew the client to you in the first place) and the client’s expectations of their experience working with you. Clients want more than a problem solved. They crave stress-free, reliable, and consistent interactions, delivered with pleasant and prompt service.

At its best, Relationship Marketing stirs positive emotions in customers. And positive emotions keep clients coming back for more. Put simply, companies that deliver exceptional experiences – along with value — to clients will enjoy longer lasting relationships than those that don’t.

Relationship Marketing is also a long-term strategy. It shifts the focus away from sales and advertising and places it on making the client feel valued and special throughout the client life cycle. Some examples are:

• Providing personalized care and service, such as knowing preferences, interests, key anniversaries, etc.
• Engaging in meaningful interactions, such as offering proactive recommendations or dispensing timely advice
• Creating memorable experiences, from celebrating successes and milestones, to hosting notable special events
• Infusing positive emotions throughout each interaction, from delight or humor to confidence, reassurance, and comfort

No business will get off the ground without transactional marketing, which centers on increasing sales and acquiring new clients. But once that client relationship is established, relationship marketing is what inspires clients to develop deep roots with your organization.