The Fine Art of Relationship Marketing

Home
>
Marketing
>
The Fine Art of Relationship Marketing

The Fine Art of Relationship Marketing

The buzzword these days is "relationship" marketing. Just what is it? And why is it important? Relationship marketing is so much more than "networking. It's gathering support of your friends, peers, and business contacts. It's developing strong, lasting, unique relationships with your most valuable asset, your customer. It's what keeps people "coming back for more." It's an excellent way to shorten the traditional routes of building trust, create opportunities, increase valuable contacts, to achieve success and excel in business.

Every opportunity you have to meet new people is an opportunity to grow your business! If you are willing to invest your time, networking is a process, and the payoffs are almost immeasurable. It's not realistic to expect instant success. It takes time. You can plan your networking opportunities to shorten the time it takes to build those relationships.

What do you want and need to accomplish? Do you want to develop lifelong individual customers, land large accounts, or make an impact in your community? You will accomplish all three by getting involved in your local civic organizations, Chambers of Commerce, Business Associations, Non-Profit organizations, etc. One of the best ways to get to know people "up close and personal" is to volunteer to serve on a committee; give your time and talent to a cause. People want to do business with people who have similar interests and values.

Whom do you need to meet to accomplish your goals? And where do you meet them? Angel Cicerone, Associate Editor of the South Florida Business Journal says, "If you're going fishing, go where the fish are." Focus your efforts by being in the right place at the right time. It's not just who you meet, but how and where you meet them. Meeting people in the "right places" adds credibility to that meeting. That's not to say that striking up a conversation in the supermarket has no value. It does. It's just that if you want to develop first class contacts, you must fly first class.

If you are flying first class, those sitting in the same section will view you as a peer. Of course, there's no guarantee you'll make those great contacts. However, if you don't fly first class, you'll never know. It may be worth the investment. The same people flying first class can also be found at those events, fundraisers and conferences in which you participate. Go where the people you wish to network with will be!

Are you willing to invest the time it takes to achieve your goals? How much time is enough? Begin with the end in mind. The key to relationship marketing's success is to know what it is you want to accomplish. To start networking, you have to set your foot in the door.

Excerpted from The PMS Principles - Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business

© 2004 - Heidi Richards is the author of The PMS Principles, Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business and 7 other books. She is also the Founder & CEO of the Women's ECommerce Association, International www.WECAI.org (pronounced wee-kī) ? an Internet organization that "Helps Women Do Business on the WEB." She can be reached at www.HeidiRichards.com.

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Stocks point to higher open after big drop (AP)

AP - Wall Street headed toward a higher open Tuesday, following a now-familiar pattern of snapping back after a huge selloff. Investors, while looking for bargains, were awaiting more news about the health of retailers and automakers.

Big Three automakers to submit plans to Congress (AP)

AP - Detroit's automakers, making a second bid for $25 billion in funding, are presenting Congress with plans Tuesday to restructure their ailing companies and provide assurances that the funding will help them survive and thrive.

Recession-hit automakers brace for grim US sales (AP)

AP - Walloped by the recession, automakers' U.S. sales are plummeting as hard-to-get credit, job losses and other stresses make many Americans wary of taking on big-ticket financial commitments.

Court ruling brings down Thai government (AP)

AP - A court dissolved Thailand's top three ruling parties for electoral fraud Tuesday and banned the prime minister from politics for five years, bringing down a government that has faced months of strident protests seeking its ouster.

Georgia is voting in Senate runoff today (AP)

AP - Georgia voters returned to the polls Tuesday to decide one of two unresolved U.S. Senate races that Democrats need to win for a 60-seat majority impervious to GOP filibusters.

India demands Pakistan hand over terror suspects (AP)

AP - India picked up intelligence in recent months that terrorists were plotting attacks against Mumbai targets, an official said Tuesday, as the government demanded that Islamabad hand over suspected terrorists believed living in Pakistan.

Body-swap illusion tricks mind in new study (AP)

AP - Shaking hands with yourself is an amusing out-of-body experience. The illusion of having your stomach slashed with a kitchen knife, not so much.

1 in 5 young adults has personality disorder, researchers report (AP)

AP - Almost one in five young American adults has a personality disorder that interferes with everyday life, and even more abuse alcohol or drugs, researchers reported Monday in the most extensive study of its kind.

iTunes: Coldplay, Leona Lewis topped sales in 2008 (AP)

AP - Coldplay was the hottest iTunes album download this year: Its "Viva la Vida" was crowned the best-selling album of 2008, while Leona Lewis's "Bleeding Love" was named the top-selling single.

Heat rally in final seconds of OT to beat Warriors (AP)

AP - Chris Quinn hit a tying 3-pointer with 7.1 seconds left in overtime, Michael Beasley stole the ensuing inbounds pass and made the decisive free throw, and the Miami Heat pulled off a wild 130-129 comeback win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday night.

Thai court disbands ruling party (Reuters)

Reuters - Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat was banned from politics for five years and his party disbanded on Tuesday, plunging the country deeper into chaos and raising fears of a violent backlash by government supporters.

Europe looks to galvanize banks (Reuters)

Reuters - The European Commission on Tuesday promised measures to get state-aided banks to start lending to the real economy but EU finance ministers squabbled over ways to push back against the global financial crisis.

Georgia votes in key Senate run-off election (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. state of Georgia votes in a run-off election for U.S. Senate on Tuesday that will help decide whether Democrats gain a big enough majority in the chamber to ram through legislation virtually at will.

Oil falls below $48 (Reuters)

Reuters - Oil fell to a 3-1/2-year low below $48 a barrel on Tuesday as signs grew that the global economy was in worse shape than thought and after OPEC opted to delay talks on further output cuts.

Two U.S. soldiers charged for abusing Afghans (Reuters)

Reuters - Two U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan have been charged with the abuse of Afghan detainees, the U.S. military said Tuesday.

Chances of WMD attack in big city greater: report (Reuters)

Reuters - The chances of a terror attack on a major city somewhere in the world using weapons of mass destruction are better than even, according to a task force mandated by the U.S. Congress, The Washington Post reported in its Tuesday edition.

India demands Pakistani sign of faith (Reuters)

Reuters - India demanded Pakistan hand over 20 of its most wanted fugitives as a sign of good faith on Tuesday, while both sides tried to cool tensions over the Mumbai attacks that have threatened improving ties.

Lots of TV and Web harms kids' health (Reuters)

Reuters - Spending a lot of time watching TV, playing video games and surfing the Web makes children more prone to a range of health problems including obesity and smoking, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Thai court bans PM, flights to resume (AFP)

AFP - A Thai court stripped Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat of his post and outlawed the ruling party on Tuesday, prompting jubilant anti-government protesters to lift a blockade of Bangkok's main airport.

Pakistan offers 'joint investigation' into Mumbai attacks (AFP)

AFP - Pakistan offered Tuesday to work hand-in-hand with India to track down those responsible for the Mumbai attacks but declined to respond immediately to a demand that it hand over 20 terrorist suspects.

The Fine Art of Relationship Marketing

Marketing Marketing