The old way of doing business development is new again
There’s a new kid in town and its name is Relationship Marketing. Business professionals are seeing the benefit of this unique strategy and applying it. It is so very critical to build tight relationships these days, and building those relationships looks much different than it did years ago.
We have learned over the last number of years that change comes – and most people miss it. They keep running their small business, doing the same old things with the same old habits, day in and out. That means they stick with what they know, never challenging the status quo. The point being that this particular phenomenon applies to what we see in the sales training and business coaching industry.
Solid business principles can be applied in today’s context
With all the innovative studies, information, and ground breaking discoveries in the area of human success dynamics – we have missed the signs of the times. The most established training methods, programs, and seminars have the philosophies and techniques that were relevant and used over 50 years ago. Don’t get us wrong; it’s not that these techniques and principles are irrelevant today, but they are applicable in context only – as being a principle. They need to have their application updated to the current times. Part of that update incorporates this current marketing trend called Relationship Marketing.
Let’s build better client loyalty!
Relationship based marketing is the concept of building a relationship with a potential client long before they need your services. To maximize this idea, you would want to establish yourself as an industry specialist or a resource center. That way, whenever they need help wading through all the information that is available to them, they will look to your business for knowledge and feedback. Years ago, salespeople were the gatekeepers to the information the consumer needed to make purchases, but today’s business must educate long before a potential client makes a purchase.
The new way of doing business development
Today, buyers have access to information that business and sales people didn’t have 20 years ago. The challenge for them is that there is too much information out there. It is hard for clients to discern what is relevant or not. As small business owners, our role hasn’t changed much – it really is the same in principle: The client still wants us to be knowledgeable, reliable, and honest. Our job is to know the sales process and guide them gently through that process to make sure they have clearly identified what they want. Then, we help them get it.
Here are some thoughts to help you build solid relationships with your clients:
- Offer a monthly update. Give information on lifestyle and industry specific topics.
- Offer free assessments, discoveries, and fact-findings white papers. Sell them on your process – not your product.
- Have a series of questions that you can ask at a deeper than surface level to show that there is more to know than what the internet offers for information.
Relationship Marketing is the new thing small business is talking about. Without it, your business will miss a fantastic way to establish solid sales. Make your client database work for you by becoming the information resource of choice for your clients.