Today we sat down with Derek Loverde, Vice President and Business Development of To Your Success, to discuss two main points. Firstly, what is relationship marketing? Secondly, what can you do to leave a lasting impression on your customers?

Let’s talk about the power of relationship marketing and why it’s essential to incorporate it into your business.

What is Relationship Marketing?

Relationship marketing can be highly misunderstood. People tend to associate the term ‘marketing’ with the action of you solely trying to sell them something.

However, relationship marketing emphasizes building a lasting relationship with the customer versus trying to directly sell them something. When you build on your connection with the customer, their guards go down and their trust builds up. In turn, building a trustful relationship generates more opportunity for the future.

The goal of relationship marketing is to build a bond between the customer and your company.

What can you do to leave a lasting impression on your customers?

Take time on each call to genuinely connect with your customer. Approach each job with the mindset of taking care of the customer instead of just maximizing the sale.

In the end, your goal should be to build a bond between your customers and your business. Your business will grow in return. All you have to do is trust the process.

Ideas of a lasting impression?. 

I know what you’re thinking! You need some ideas! Look no further:

1. Cookies! To Your Success bakes homemade cookies daily to ship directly to the customer after a technician has finished the job. This shows the customer how much you appreciate their business and they will feel more connected with you and your company!
2. Treat baggies for dogs! Something easy to give would be little bags of treats for a dog. You can keep them in your truck and treat them if you notice they have a dog. It would be a pleasant surprise at the end of your visit!
3. Pay attention to your conversations with the customer! Listening is a great tool to show how much you care. Do they mention they need a coffee to start their day? Before you stop by in the morning, pick them up a coffee; they will appreciate it more than you know!
4. Little toy baggies for children. Maybe they have children running around; if you have a little baggie of goods for them, the customers will be surprised! Some chalk or a little thing of bubbles would be fine! Nothing crazy, of course.

Speaking of cookies, To Your Success is offering you a FREE gift of their delicious freshly baked cookies.

All you need to do is go to www.ToYourSuccess.com. There, you’ll find a chat pop up. Chat in and write something like “I listened to a podcast, and Derek said something about free cookies.” They will take care of you!