Is relationship based marketing the new way of success?

Relationship marketing surely isn’t a new concept, but it is one that is quickly becoming a priority for businesses of all types. If 2020 has taught us anything, it is the increased importance towards building and nurturing a relationship with customers, regardless of what medium you choose to do it through.

Customers need to hear from their brands, sure, and in digital speak, you can connect with just about anyone on the planet today. The connection however is only the first step. While a connection is only a ‘click’ away, a relationship requires a commitment and it needs space and time to grow.

One way to nurture that connection is to listen into the feedback coming in from customers, a great avenue to incorporate two-way conversations in your business is through social media. If a brand is looking to launch a product, test out how a service would be received, a quick test run on social media can work wonders.

Investing in technology is another great way to retain relationships with customers, incorporating CRM programs and similar softwares to manage customers, personalize messages, and maintain communication. There is a gold mine of information that can be generated from these programs that lead to a significant amount of learning about customers which can be filtered down to personalising content and campaigns in the future.

We saw many brands navigate towards establishing an Omnichannel presence over 2020, leading into 2021. People today are used to engaging with brands in different ways, this varies depending on gender, age, location and so on. They may visit the brand website one day and then reach out to the company via its Facebook or LinkedIn page the next day, thus making it convenient for your audience to interact with your business in the way they’re most comfortable is key.

This means having a presence on the right channels is a must and if you can incorporate a chatbot, even better.

Customer service is key! How you respond to customers, the timeliness, effectiveness and way in which they are being communicated to is quite vital to the marketing function as a whole. There are many instances of poor customer services that due to the nature of media today are shared in the open for thousands to see all in a matter of a few minutes causing great damage to a brands reputation.

Lastly, through all your efforts, the goal is to build an emotional connection, people buy into stories. Break down the barrier between you and your customers and let them in to see who you, the people behind your company, are. You can do that by posting photos of your employees on social media or arranging an interview in a credible publication, share stories of how you’re supporting the local community in your email marketing. Bring your audience along and invite them to share their stories or photos. Including them in the conversation is a great way to build a deeper and long-lasting connection.

Relationship-based marketing needs to be done mindfully, while a personalized approach, it should not come across as too invasive as that can have a negative impact on the brands overall image. So, if you feel tempted to send across a WhatsApp at 10 in the night promoting a new menu launch, maybe hold off on it, it won’t be received well by a vast majority. 

Ultimately reiterate how you are able to add value to the lives of your customer without coming across as too pushy and retaining consistency in all your marketing efforts to build long-term relationships.

Engage Purposefully: How to get the best out of brand partnerships?

Read on: https://campaignme.com/engage-purposefully-how-marcom-professionals-can-get-the-best-out-of-brand-partnerships-by-catch-comms-injeel-moti/

Brands today have myriad choices when it comes to partnerships. From ensuring authenticity to proving the impact of those collaborations (all with seamless execution), it can be a challenging task to take on. Rule number one is that partnerships must be purposeful. They should serve a purpose that ties in with the business’s objectives & overall goals, be it a short-term goal or a long-term one.

Evolution in recent times has led to a whole lot of crossovers with marketing verticals, be it with PR, advertising, social media, live events & so on. Communications today span from strategic collaborations with like-minded brands to partnering with influencers, content creators, and working hand-in-hand with consumers through community groups in local neighbourhoods, devising creative AD briefs and so much more.

Communication/PR agencies are constantly receiving requests from clients, largely stemming from needs of comfort and familiarity, wanting one agency partner to look over multiple facets of their marketing operations. How does one ensure that impactful partnerships are made and what factors are to be considered?

Perception

One thing that’s incredibly important to keep in mind when considering a partnership is perception. Undeniably perception is reality and in a world that is as visual as ours, perception is everything. Thus, having that reflected in brand partnerships is vital too.

Associating a face with a brand is one of the oldest tricks in the book. Brands have been engaging in this for decades, from the good ol’ celebrity culture to influencers and personalities today, it remains true to form. Surely it is a very personal decision and can greatly impact how a brand is perceived by consumers.

Today the merging of peoples’ personal & professional lives has become something of interest. Distressing global events and increased connectivity have led to individuals showing a lot of vulnerability, being forthcoming with opinions, raising their voices on political issues & such, all of which forms part of their social presence framework and contributes towards the overall perception. A thorough assessment of how someone today is perceived holds more value than their following in numbers and must be thoroughly vetted.

Partnering with the infamous or an individual who might be enjoying short-lived fame by achieving the ‘viral’ status on one said app, might not be the best strategy either, as it will quickly combust.

Celebrities. Micro-influencers. Nano-influencers. Everyday consumers. Traditional journalists. Bloggers. There are more types of influencers in the media space than ever before, which makes decisions about whom to engage and work with key. The vetting process, therefore, goes a lot deeper than followers & engagement today.

Shared Values & Ethics 

Straight-forward, and usually a yes of course in meetings, but not always followed through. One of the most common mistakes companies make in seeking out brand partners is not looking at shared values and ethics. Irrespective of the nature of the partnership, core beliefs must be a topic of discussion with ‘mutual agreement’ being the desired goal.

A beauty brand that harps on its cruelty-free label must engage in partnerships that share the same values & vice versa. Questions to ask could be ‘Does he/she/it condone brands that engage in animal testing? ‘Will the event/venue/owner have policies in place or consider this an important cause?’

Engaging in a partnership where values are not aligned can negate the entire effort & tarnish a brand’s image for years to come.

Customer Alignment 

This holds of high importance when it comes down to working with community groups or partaking in on-ground events, aka engaging with consumers directly, whilst eradicating any channel in between.

Your message, offering & USP must stand out and more importantly connect with the receiver.

For example, if both your brand and its partners are geared toward working mothers or college students, it makes sense for one brand to drive its consumers to the other. That’s when audience alignment truly becomes a benefit to all parties, including prospective buyers, who may find that the partnership helps them find products they need more easily.

When considering audience alignment for partners, look beyond just demographic groups or audience segments. It’s more about making sure you are thinking about who needs your products and will be a consumer — if not immediately, then in the near future.

Irrespective of the marketing vertical you are exercising; all the above factors will play a role and must be considered to ensure an informed decision is made and success is achieved.