The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing
Marketing is not always about trying to sell something, building and maintaining a strong customer relationship is even more important in the long run. When the customers have an excellent first experience with you, they are more likely to remember your brand and genuinely care for your business.
A Story
A friend of mine recently had day surgery, then went home. The next day he got a handwritten thank you/get well card signed by all the clinic’s staff. Although it was such a simple gesture, it had an unusually personal touch.
Another friend received a plant at her home a few months after he bought his house. “Hope you are enjoying your new home!” the handwritten note read, signed by his realtor.
No coupons, no upselling offers, no “we appreciate your referrals.”
Just gratitude, thoughtfulness, and a genuine human connection. These are fundamentals of delivering a brand promise and building strong customer relationships. Exceeding expectations, giving before asking, being consistent, and being genuine.
Once a brand has mastered these traits and cultivated a delightful brand experience for its customers, only then is it ready to spend money on advertising and demand generation.
Read more about the concept of Brand Positioning: Click here
You can’t fake authenticity
Some businesses implement CRM (customer relationship management) strategies selfishly. They only engage their customers directly in hopes to reel them back in the future and make more money off of them. Any attempts to give your customers an authentic human connection should come from a place of gratitude. Each and every customer is a catalyst that is helping your business grow, so it is only fair that they feel appreciated for giving you their business. You can always sell to someone once, take their money, and be happy with that; but the brands that actually care about their customer relationships will be the ones who continuously grow over time.
