NETWORK AGE
Building Relationship Marketing
By Lorraine Kirigia
“
In the agricultural age , the greatest asset was land . In the industrial age , it was machine . In the information age it became technology and data . We are moving into the network age and our greatest assets are our relationships . It is not just the relationships we have as individuals but it is the relationships we have with organizations , brands we love and trust and return to again and again .” Michelle Lederman .
With just a click , social media has made it possible for one to connect with anyone in the world and therefore we ’ re consumed by the notion that you ’ re just a ‘ click away ’. Connections are just but , connections if we don ’ t turn them to relationships . Relationships take time to build and grow , requiring commitment from both parties , hence delaying the most desired instant gratification . Therefore , no matter how good a one off ad or marketing campaign you create , it ’ ll hardly have a true emotional connection with your customers if you ’ ve not taken time to nurture a long term customer relationship with them .
Building a successful network is about following up with your established connections ; as Keith Ferrazzi aptly puts , follow-up is the key to success in any field . It ’ s critical in networking for you to make sure that once you have made a contact , you stay in someone ’ s mind and the only way you can achieve this , is for you to make a follow up . Similarly , you must ensure that you remain top of mind as far as your customers go with products or services your business offers . Relationship marketing allows you to get into your customers ’ mind and heart creating a long term connection with them . The key word here is ‘ relationship ’. Whether it is a B2B or a B2C , every business needs people in order to succeed . Since people like to talk about their experiences with product , the main stimulus for behavior is that the product or service in question , either gave them a particular pleasure or displeasure . Therefore , the more emotionally connected a customer is to your brand , the more they will spend with you .
Just like networks are first and foremost built upon basic , human , interpersonal interaction , organizations must build trust and relate at a personal level with their customers beyond just selling their products and services . Now more than ever before , advertising and putting up billboards will no longer give the products or service you offer mileage . Customers are looking for a connection with brands they love . Recently one of the leading airlines was trending after making full refunds to their customers after Covid-19 outbreak . Many airlines had recorded huge losses as people remained fearful of traveling and this airline was no exception . In fact , a month prior to releasing the report to newsrooms on how much they had spent on refunds , they had announced major layoffs ! This airline allowed itself to be vulnerable and let their customers aware that while things were tough for them as an airline , they understood it was not a fault of the customer and dug deep into their reserves to make full refunds . Do you actually imagine that any of those clients are likely to fly any other airline after this gesture ?
As with any other relationship , what customers are looking at is meaningful engagement . What value are you offering for your brand ? The other day I visited one of my favorite coffee shops for a brief meeting . Of course the rules have changed with the crisis and the eatery too has made tremendous improvements to make you feel safe . Instead of traditional paper menu , you are now required to scan a code for the menu . All this is great but we requested the waitress if there was the option of having a quick glance at the menu to which she responded vehemently no . We sort to find out what happens to a person who doesn ’ t have a smart phone and is say technologically challenged . She said you must use the code . No sooner had we finished this conversation than an elderly couple sat to order a meal . The waiter who served them had to struggle to walk them through the menu off the top of her head because you guessed it , they didn ’ t have their mobile phones on them .
A day later , I visited a different branch of the same eatery and here I was received with both options of a paper menu as well as scanning if it was my forte . Although we are embracing technology , you must look at the changes you make holistically . For a brand with several branches , consistency in the services you offer then is absolutely critical because for sure I am not going back to the branch that was unwilling to listen to my needs as a customer . Remember as a brand now more than ever before you must apply empathy with your clients . Perhaps one does not wish to go online at the time or even lack mobile data to start browsing your menu online . There must be a reason they have requested for an option and you can ’ t afford to be rigid . We all know in marketing replacing a lost customer is harder than recruiting a new one . Why not aspire to give exemplary customer service and this is simply by ensuring your staff are relating well with their clients ?
Relationship marketing is simply forming long term relationships with your customers . This is I believe if strategized and executed well , will definitely make marketing great again !
Lorraine Kirigia is a Personal Network Analyst . You can commune with her on this or related issues vide email at : LKirigia @ gmail . com .
16 MAL38 / 20 ISSUE