Your customers are everything to your business. It’s no wonder then that you focus on acquiring new customers every chance you get.
Yet, while this customer acquisition is crucial, spending more time on creating customer loyalty and retention can be the true nexus of success.
How can you accomplish this, and where do you start? The answer is actually quite simple — build long-term relationships.
You can achieve this by focusing a good portion of your digital marketing strategy on the customers you already have.
In other words, you need to focus on what’s referred to as relationship marketing.
Keep reading to learn more about it!
Relationship Marketing Examples
With relationship marketing, the focus is on existing customers and how you can provide the most value to them.
Several companies already incorporate this strategy today, and it’s proving highly successful. Here are five examples.
1. Starbucks
Starbucks is often seen as an innovator when it comes to reaching and keeping customers.
The brand regularly encourages its customers to give feedback on a variety of topics, including new ideas for products, services, or events. It then uses this feedback to strengthen and expand the relationship.
Starbucks also maintains social media interaction with customers and sends customer-specific emails announcing new product launches or special offers.
They also frequently share user-generated content (UGC) on their site and social media channels.
2. Patagonia
Patagonia is more than an outdoor clothing and accessory provider to its customers.
It is also associated with the higher purpose of being environmentally conscious, uniquely focusing on recycled and organic materials.
By encouraging customers to consider used clothing items instead of always purchasing new, more expensive options, the brand becomes trustworthy, showing they are not focusing solely on how much money they can make.
Another way Patagonia shows it is purpose-driven is by promoting its mobile repair shop for mending such things as rips or broken zippers.
3. Capital One
Relationship marketing for Capital One begins with understanding its customers’ frustrations, needs, concerns, and interests. It clearly shows this with its unique TSA campaign.
Travelers often become impatient and frustrated having to wait in long lines to get through TSA at airports.
Seeing this as a way to foster relationships, the brand offers a perk to reimburse its customers when they choose to pay a TSA PreCheck fee with their Capital One card.
This one act adds value to the brand and alleviates a common customer pain point at the same time.
4. Fenty
Celebrity singer Rihanna’s fashion and beauty line, Fenty, focuses its relationship building on inclusivity.
Beauty products are developed to meet the needs of all customers, including those with pale or dark complexions. Her lingerie line, Savage X, includes bodies of all sizes (XS – 4XL), helping to promote more body positivity among customers.
Fenty also offers a membership program, with members receiving first word and opportunities during new product launches and VIP-only sales. They also receive exclusive content.
As a result, Fenty has become an inclusive brand with relationship-building across the globe, making it stand out among the competition.
5. Marriott
Marriott Hotels found a new and unique way to reach customers and build loyalty.
The brand created a film entitled “Two Bellmen Three” as a way to attract younger demographics and to build brand awareness on the social platforms they spend time on.
Marriot’s relationship marketing strategy also includes relevant content that provides information on various travel destinations and other relevant topics without appearing pushy or salesy.
You may also be interested in these articles:
- Transparent Digital Marketing: how to master the cookieless era to create valuable relationships
- Human to human marketing: how to create a long-lasting relationship with your client
- 12 Marketing Challenges and How To Overcome Them
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6. Apple
The world’s biggest tech company is also a giant when it comes to relationship marketing.
Apple products are well-known for bringing functionalities that facilitate users’ lives, which demonstrates Apple’s concern with their consumers’ needs and creates a good feeling around their products.
Apple Stores are built to welcome their customers (or customers-to-be) to explore, they invite visitors to test iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, and more, and they even offer live skill classes on them. Making people feel comfortable is definitely an effective way of building relationships.
Apple’s campaigns also focus on showing its empathetic approach to people. It feels like they are saying, ‘Hey, you’re not alone, we can hear you and make your life easier’. Isn’t that a crucial part of relationship building?
The Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro apps release video illustrates that well.
7. Airbnb
The marketplace for homestays revolutionized the hospitality and travel industry.
Airbnb is concerned about building relationships with guests and hosts, and they excel in their customer service. The way the app is built allows travelers to plan their trips and receive suggestions for tours, restaurants, and other activities.
They’re very focused on personalized experiences, and who doesn’t value that?
Airbnb also builds relationships through trust. They make sure all profiles are verified, and customer reviews are a big thing. On social media, Airbnb answers customer queries and feedback thoroughly and in a timely manner.
Wrap Up
While the ultimate goal of marketing strategies is to increase the number of customers and improve sales, there are other ways to go about achieving success.
Relationship marketing is one of those ways, allowing you to focus on building and maintaining customer connections and ensuring they stay loyal to your brand.
And remember: high-quality content is key to building meaningful relationships with your target audience. To help you with that, here’s a great opportunity to find the best writers in the market.
