“Develop a relationship and the sales will follow.” It’s a saying that has been used time and time again to emphasize the importance of Customer Experience Management (CEM), and relationship marketing in particular.
Relationship marketing is an approach to product promotion where the seller aims to develop a relationship between their product and consumers. By focusing on achieving 
increased customer satisfaction and retention, consumers are more likely to give you their continued business over a long period of time. This results in a larger overall volume of individual sales and thus profits.
Through this connection, retailers are also more likely to see an increase in user participation. Customers who feel a deep connection to your brand are more likely to recommend your products to others, write rave reviews, and provide you with valuable feedback; and as we know, word of mouth marketing is a good way to generate new business.
So how do you go about implementing a relationship marketing approach?
As technology advances, the user experience continues to become more and more complicated. You don’t want to discourage users from making a purchase because they can’t figure out how. Have a co-worker, employee or friend test your website and give feedback about any issues they encounter; then, implement changes based on their feedback.
Note: This tip also applies to any and all facets of your business that clients or general users will come in contact with, so be sure to have any other platforms or products that fall in this area tested too.
Take the time to personalize each confirmation email or promotional advertisement, such that all messaging is related to a user’s purchase history or preferences. Try to 
simplify this process by using an automated emailing system that automatically fills in each customer’s information. Similarly, put more resources into making sure each customer has a great experience with customer support. This can be as simple as expanding the hours that this service is available or taking a few extra minutes to add a little more thought to each email.
- Consider creating a loyalty program where customers are rewarded for their continued business or support.
This is one of the easiest ways to develop a relationship with your consumer base, as it rewards them for being committed to your brand. One innovative way to do this is to create a brand ambassador program where customers are rewarded for advertising and selling your product, thereby generating revenue whilst strengthening the bond they have with your brand.
Relationship marketing is all about developing a relationship with your customers in order to continuously receive their business over a long period of time, and is therefore viewed as an effective way to garner more business. Implementing these suggestions is the first step to utilizing this powerful marketing strategy to further your brand. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!
