Results come at the intersection of purpose and action.
Unless you can only sell your product or service one time, I’m sure a long term relationship is going to be far more profitable for your business.
But did you know that just like relationships, marketing to a new client needs to move through the same three stages.
‘Like’ is like going on a date. They know who you are and they like what they see, so they’ll try you out.
Hell, if the date goes really well, you might get lucky and close a big account…a really BIG account.
But until they ‘know’ who you are, they will never have the chance to ‘like’ and then ‘trust’ you.
So how can we go on more dates? Well, we need to either get introduced to more people through referrals or we need to be a little more proactive by putting ourselves out there. One way is to advertise online (signing up for a dating site). Another is visiting trade and industry events (bars, clubs and social gatherings). Get found fishing where the fish are.
But of course, just because someone knows who you are, doesn’t mean they’ll want to date you. You’ll need to build a wealth of rapport first.
Perhaps flashing some of the benefits they’re after…might encourage some interest. Or even better, as all good conversationalists know, listen to what they have to say. It’s surprising how interesting you can appear the less you talk and the more you listen.
So, you’ve had a date, you’ve closed a sale and you’re feeling pretty happy with yourself. The last thing on your mind is marriage!
You’re enjoying yourself, the client is interesting and you’re the fresh new thing in their lives. Who wants to be thinking about the years ahead, the good times, the bad times, in sickness and in health.
But the smart business person understands that in business, life time value and long term relationships are where profits are made. They’ll also understand they you don’t win long term relationships through good times alone. Which is why ‘trust’ is so important.
Long term relationships take work and the successful ones are based on trust built over time. Finding opportunities to built trust early put deposits in the trust bank account and will help you weather any tough times ahead. Keeping promises. Delivering on time. Honest communication and supporting your clients when they need it. These are the things that build trust and while not often considered marketing activities, they are the foundation of long term marketing communication, because, as Theodore Roosevelt said “people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care”.
To take this metaphor a step further. Marriage can be hard. At times your partner might think they don’t ‘know’ you any more. They might even decide they no longer ‘like’ you. So we have to work on it. Every day in little ways, Know, Like and Trust.
Make your relationships fun and engaging. Listen to your clients, understand their values and consider their needs. Be open about your own needs and ensure respect and love flow both ways. And don’t forget the little things. Put the bins out and the toilet seat down. Unless it’s a plumbing business full of guys, then leave it up.
Not all clients are the marrying kind, not all are worth the energy.
And for some businesses, they’d prefer a fling rather than a long term commitment. The thrill is in the chase.
But for those willing to commit and put in the work, there can be a life time of riches by marrying through marketing.
If you're serious about getting your building your marketing muscles, we'd recommend adding consistent marketing programs and systems to your business. The best results we see come from consistency. Contact us to discuss the how you can add these to your business today.