Why do people still shop at local businesses? Especially when the massive retailer right next door can get you a better price?

It’s simple: The store owners who call me by name, know me as a person, and truly appreciate my business will always have my purchases.

In today’s marketplace, the relationship makes all the difference.

THE RELATIONSHIP-CENTRIC ERA

Massive companies fight like insecure kids for shreds of your attention. Digital ads and communication interject themselves into your customers’ lives. Marketers place quantity over quality, advertising features over benefits, and care only about immediate returns. This isn’t what your customers want.

They need to be treated like people. This is the focus of the Relationship-Centric Era.

When Apple’s Switch! ads starred average customers rather than product engineers, they took marketing in a new direction. They advertised emotionally. Macs make everything easier. It just works. They spurred trust. I’m Joe. I’m a lawyer. Now, Macs are some of the highest-selling computers worldwide.

Relationship-Centric marketers use personalized outreach to make their customers feel special. They advertise emotionally, as Apple did. They create a brand message for their customers to stand behind. They give their company a soul.

To customers, perfect logic is no match for a genuine emotional appeal.

DIGITAL OVERSATURATION

Customers are subjected to over five thousand ads every single day. You don’t have to be an expert to see that marketers focus far too much on quantity. Remember the scarcity law: The more of something available, the less value it has. This is why a digital ad or email is seldom truly appreciated.

Understand that a customer with no relationship to your brand can see twenty ads and still be less likely to purchase than a customer who sees no ads yet appreciates and trusts your brand. There is no shortage of companies with great products and eye-catching ads. The only way to stand out is to show your customers that you care.

DON’T REMAIN IN THE PAST

What if my team wants to stick with the customer-centric strategy?

Your customers’ needs are worth more than higher immediate returns. The customer lifecycle is not an assembly line, it’s a relationship. Your customers know this already. Some of your competitors may as well. The only determinant here is when you understand it.

When Blockbuster laughed off Netflix’s merger proposal, its CEO failed to recognize the potential of the future of its industry. They paid the price.

All marketers know what happens to businesses stuck in the past.

GAINING MINDSHARE: MAKE EVERY INTERACTION SPECIAL

The central theme of the relationship-centric era is placing quality over quantity.

Quality of advertising, quality of communication, and quality of customer relationships should always come first. Plan your timing, messages, and mediums carefully; prioritize your customers’ desires and you’ll easily create that subtle ‘wow’ factor that keeps them loyal.

When Zappos endorsed their world-famous 10-hour long customer service call, they didn’t focus on immediate returns. Neither should you. Like Zappos, lose the battle to win the war. Make every interaction special before you start interacting more; the loyalty and recommendations will carry you further than any method of cold outreach.

Begin your foray by tapping into your customers’ greatest desire: the feeling of importance. Social media has blown this up. People believe they are very important and are extremely susceptible to those who fuel the flame. Make your customers feel loved, and they will love you in return.

IgnitePost is about personability and authenticity. It’s about building mutual trust and respect. We make your brand and customer relationships human again. In today’s world, it’s a breath of fresh air to truly connect with another person.

Be that for your customers.

Write them a note.

LEARN MORE

OR, EXPLORE HOW THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MARKETERS ARE

• Using IgnitePost to Thank Customers
• Using IgnitePost to Ask for Reviews
• Using IgnitePost to Ask for Referrals
• Building Customer Loyalty with IgnitePost

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