Creating Long-Term Customer Relationships: How Marketing Is Like Making Love
Creating Long-Term Customer Relationships: How Marketing Is Like Making Love
While it doesn't send you to prison, forcing your unwanted marketing on others is not a smart way to build crucial long-term relationships with your customers--relationships that pay off in high life-long sales and huge numbers of referrals.
Even if the customer opens him or herself willingly to your marketing, "love 'em and leave 'em" doesn't truly satisfy. What does a Don Juan really get from the latest conquest? A momentary thrill and another notch on the bedpost--so what? If you convince someone to buy once, but you treat your new customer badly, nothing will last. You'll have the momentary thrill of a few more dollars in your account--but you'll spend that and more bringing in the next one-night-wonder. This is the difference between that three-letter-word beginning with "s"--a bodily need divorced for emotion--and a long-term, maybe even last-forever romance that combines passion, communication, and recognition of the other person's contribution to your own wholeness--so that the slightest touch of a finger against skin can open up entire worlds, and a quiet communication from you can have your customers oohing and ahhing and telling all their friends that they absolutely must do business with you, because you'll make them feel so special.
In marketing, there's a concept called by many names, among them Lifetime (LT) Customer Value (LCV) and Total LT Value. It's the idea that it may be worth spending a little more to bring in a new customer, because over a period of years, that customer will spend with you again and again. But that only happens if you're there for them. If you show that you care, not just about the dollars, but about their wants and needs, then and only then will your customers build those high LCVs, and woo others to your camp as well. In fact, if a company starts taking a customer for granted, "marketing divorce" will follow. Just in the last few months, I've ended two long-term, high-ticket business relationships: one with the auto manufacturer whose cars I've been driving since 1977, and one with the mail order company that's sold me most of my software and several computers since 1984. In both cases, I received clear signals that these companies did not, after all, value my business enough to make even the slightest attempt to keep me happy. Over the next ten or twelve years, I'll probably spend many thousands of dollars with their competitors. and, of course, I no longer rave about the wonderful service I'd gotten with these companies in the past, so the stream of new business I may have generated is kaput.
You've heard the "that was a demo, but once you're a customer" joke about heaven and hell. A successful romance is built not only on passion, but on true two-way communication. The more you listen--REALLY listen--and act on what you heard, the more you sell.
Nobody wants to be "sold to." We want to be courted, to be romanced, to be shown that our partners love, cherish, respect and honor us--that they're both passionate and tender, and that it's not just all about them and their needs, and that this care goes beyond the initial date or the initial sale. It's true in love, and it's true in marketing.
How are you romancing your prospects and customers these days, and how are you responding?
Creating LongTerm Customer Relationships How Marketing Is Like Making Love - To learn more about this author, visit Shel Horowitz's Website.
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When you find a potential romantic partner, do you throw that person to the ground and force yourself? I certainly hope not! Instead of a beautiful relationship, you'd face a jail sentence; forcing yourself is criminal behavior.
While it doesn't send you to prison, forcing your unwanted marketing on others is not a smart way to build crucial long-term relationships with your customers--relationships that pay off in high life-long sales and huge numbers of referrals.
Even if the customer opens him or herself willingly to your marketing, "love 'em and leave 'em" doesn't truly satisfy. What does a Don Juan really get from the latest conquest? A momentary thrill and another notch on the bedpost--so what? If you convince someone to buy once, but you treat your new customer badly, nothing will last. You'll have the momentary thrill of a few more dollars in your account--but you'll spend that and more bringing in the next one-night-wonder. This is the difference between that three-letter-word beginning with "s"--a bodily need divorced for emotion--and a long-term, maybe even last-forever romance that combines passion, communication, and recognition of the other person's contribution to your own wholeness--so that the slightest touch of a finger against skin can open up entire worlds, and a quiet communication from you can have your customers oohing and ahhing and telling all their friends that they absolutely must do business with you, because you'll make them feel so special.
In marketing, there's a concept called by many names, among them Lifetime (LT) Customer Value (LCV) and Total LT Value. It's the idea that it may be worth spending a little more to bring in a new customer, because over a period of years, that customer will spend with you again and again. But that only happens if you're there for them. If you show that you care, not just about the dollars, but about their wants and needs, then and only then will your customers build those high LCVs, and woo others to your camp as well. In fact, if a company starts taking a customer for granted, "marketing divorce" will follow. Just in the last few months, I've ended two long-term, high-ticket business relationships: one with the auto manufacturer whose cars I've been driving since 1977, and one with the mail order company that's sold me most of my software and several computers since 1984. In both cases, I received clear signals that these companies did not, after all, value my business enough to make even the slightest attempt to keep me happy. Over the next ten or twelve years, I'll probably spend many thousands of dollars with their competitors. and, of course, I no longer rave about the wonderful service I'd gotten with these companies in the past, so the stream of new business I may have generated is kaput.
You've heard the "that was a demo, but once you're a customer" joke about heaven and hell. A successful romance is built not only on passion, but on true two-way communication. The more you listen--REALLY listen--and act on what you heard, the more you sell.
Nobody wants to be "sold to." We want to be courted, to be romanced, to be shown that our partners love, cherish, respect and honor us--that they're both passionate and tender, and that it's not just all about them and their needs, and that this care goes beyond the initial date or the initial sale. It's true in love, and it's true in marketing.
How are you romancing your prospects and customers these days, and how are you responding?
Creating LongTerm Customer Relationships How Marketing Is Like Making Love - To learn more about this author, visit Shel Horowitz's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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