subject: How Relationship Marketing Can Help Your Online Business [print this page] People are constantly scouring the internet looking for things. For the most part, those things are information, products, services, and answers to questions about just about every subject under the sun. This is where good relationship marketing tactics come in. They are especially important on today's internet because of the large amount of competition between internet marketers.
One of the most important aspects of building your online business is demonstrating to potential customers that you will value and appreciate their business. It's even more important to keep your current customers satisfied.
This means employing marketing tactics that build strong bonds and trust between you and your customers. It's very important to stay in frequent contact and nurture your relationship with active customers as well.
Building trust begins with the very first encounter people have with your website and continues with each subsequent contact. According to a Nobel Prize-winning scientist, the average human being experiences as many as 20,000 unique moments each day. A moment consists of the few seconds it takes for the brain to record and process an experience. The brain will then classify each experience as either a positive or negative one.
When people visit your website and experience it's design, headlines, photos, graphics, and content, that can actually be considered a moment. All of these factors can attribute to an individual having a positive or negative response to your website. Obviously, it's up to you to do your best to make sure this moment is a positive one.
It's also been proven that first impressions are the most important. The first impression people will have of your website is most often determined by it's headline. This is usually the first thing people see and read. They'll only continue to read if the headline has caught their attention and they feel it will be worth their time to continue.
This the the place to start building a trusting relationship with potential customers. Your headline should be an indicator of what the reader can expect to find on your website, so it's important that it doesn't make false promises. If your headline promises a certain benefit that will be found in your content, make sure you deliver on that promise.
When you deliver on your promises, your customers begin to trust you. This is the first step in molding loyal customers and guaranteeing repeat business. A loyal customer is your most precious asset and as their trust grows they'll begin to recommend your website to their friends, family, and co-workers.
This tactic is called relationship marketing and it's a valuable marketing weapon for internet marketers to have in their arsenal. It has been used in the offline marketing world for centuries and it works just as well online.
It is much more difficult to build an online relationship because you don't have the benefit of speaking with the person face-to-face. Speaking directly with an individual in that manner makes it much easier to persuade them into buying what you are selling.
Here are 8 of the most effective tips and that you can employ to begin building a positive relationship online:
1. Make every single interaction with the potential customer count.
2. Always be available and accessible to your customers when they have questions, comments, concerns, or praises.
3. Always deliver on promises and claims about what your products and services include.
4. Treat each customer as an individual whom you respect and value.
5. Always explain benefits and product value as they pertain to an individual customers wants and needs.
6. Always listen to your customers - even if they have complaints. These complaints can actually work in your favor if you handle them quickly and efficiently.
7. Create a blog about your business and invite casual discussion, a relaxed atmosphere, and reader comments.
8. Provide your customers with valuable information through emails, blog content, social media, and other methods, but do not be overly invasive or appear desperate.
Relationship marketing is a current trend and it's undoubtedly here to stay. People want to know that they are valued and their business is appreciated. Creating trusting relationships will help you ensure loyal customers and repeat sales. It encourages current customers to refer their friends, colleagues and family to your business. The most important tip I could give you is not to take a single customer for granted. Every potential visitor to your website is a repeat customer just waiting to happen.
