Relationship Marketing - Standing Out From the Crowd

Relationship Marketing And

Getting Attention In Today’s Cluttered Marketplace

by Terry L. Brock

How can you stand out from the crowd?

Today we’re swamped with way too much information. I’m not talking about the junk mail ( we can filter that out), but the good stuff that we want is in the way. It is like going to your favorite restaurant, ordering your absolute, lust-after favorite food---and they bring you WAY too much of it. Imagine tables and tables full of your favorite food, cooked better than you’ve ever had it and it smells irresistible. The only catch is, there is about 100 tables full of it! Yikes!

That is where we are today with all the information coming at us. Think about it---if you’re that swamped with too much email, how do you think that your new Blog, Ezine, Podcast, VideoCast (pick your favorite combination of cool, new stuff) is going to stand out? I see it all the time with people in my audiences. They think they are going to produce a Blog and suddenly the world will beat a path to their URL. Yet, these same people who want to foist their new, clever idea onto others jump into a completely different mindset when someone encourages them to read a particular book, visit a few Blogs and listen to a few Podcasts or more.

So, how can you and I, as eager-to-serve marketers break through a cluttered marketplace? How can we reach new prospects? Well, here are some ideas that can help as you grow.

Think of yourself as a Relationship Farmer. I like the term “Relationship Farming” as it beautifully describes the way to build a business successfully. The metaphor of farming is very applicable to business. You have to study the soil. You have to plant the right seeds. Those seeds need to be nourished, nurtured and cared for with gentle sunshine, water, the right amount of fertilizer and weeding. All of these aspects of growth relate to building your business.

As a Relationship Farmer, you cultivate a relationship with a prospect, turn them into customers (clients, members---whatever term you use to describe those wonderful people who pay our bills!) and develop the relationship. You don’t expect a harvest on day one in most cases. It takes time, patience and doing the right thing consistently over time.

If you think of yourself as a Relationship Farmer, you’re more ready to put in the time, money and effort to make those relationships work.

Think in terms of how you can help the seeds grow. Your customers are like the seeds. You have to focus on them and their growth---not your own. Find ways to help your customers achieve their goals. It is the irony of the human experience that only when we help others achieve their goals that are we able to achieve our own.

Finding the need of your customers is how you’ll get their attention. If you study the soil (study what is important to them) you’ll get some ideas on what you can offer the Marketplace. Offer products and services that a significant market segment wants. Test this by writing some Blogs and watch the number of people who read it. Produce a Podcast or Video and watch the number of people who are interested in seeing it. This is a great way to discover what the marketplace wants.

Remember those plants (your customers) are outside and need attention and care. Harsh weather, dangerous animals and even weeds can do them harm. You have to be ever vigilant to care for those growing plants so that they are not ruined prematurely. Stay in touch in a favorable way with customers. Find their needs and help them to achieve their goals.

Relationship Farming, like real-world farming, requires constant study, care and more. This is what develops good business. It is what companies who are doing it right practice. This will help you stand out from the crowd in a favorable way.

By providing for their care and need, you’ll have their undivided attention.

Terry Brock is an international marketing coach and columnist who helps businesses market more effectively, leveraging technology. He shows busy professionals how to squeeze more out of their days using time-honored rules and practical technology tools. He can be reached at 407-363-0505, by e-mail at terry@terrybrock.com or through his website at www.terrybrock.com.

Copyright © 2007, Terry Brock, All Rights Reserved Internationally. No portion may be reprinted or used without prior written permission..