Building meaningful connections with your client or customer goes beyond saying “hi.” It starts with a solid brand identity and marketing. Yet, marketing is often a struggle for many entrepreneurs due to their lack of experience. Relationship marketing is an approachable marketing tactic anyone can do that increases businesses drastically. In this blog, we’ll delve into the significance of relationship marketing for female entrepreneurs and explore strategies to build a strong network and cultivate loyal clientele.
What is Relationship Marketing
Relationship marketing prioritizes long-term relationships with customers over one-time transactions. It depends on deep target audience research to uncover their needs, preferences, habits, and more.
While it may seem like an abstract marketing term, we all know brands that provide us with curated selections, personalized shopping experiences, and friendly customer service representatives. Loyalty programs are one example of relationship marketing like Starbucks Rewards, Amazon Prime, Uber One, Target Circle, and Ultamate Rewards.
Your relationship with your client or customer can make or break your business. That’s why it is essential to understand what contributes to it and how to improve it.
Effective Relationship Marketing Strategies
Engage in Meaningful Networking
For female entrepreneurs, networking is a powerful tool for building valuable relationships with peers, mentors, and potential collaborators. Engaging in industry-specific events, conferences, and workshops can facilitate meaningful connections that offer support, guidance, and potential business opportunities. Creating a network of like-minded individuals fosters a sense of community and empowers female entrepreneurs to navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship with shared experiences and knowledge.
Example
Many women are unsure where to start, who to talk to, and which rooms they should be in to build their networks. With years of experience in professional spaces, Megan Bozzuto and Katie Perry wrote a book for women on how to network. Putting the P.O.W.E.R. in Your Network is the ultimate roadmap for professional women who want to create strong connections.
Cultivate Customer Loyalty By Providing Value
Consistently delivering added value to your products or services will keep your customers/clients. You can achieve this through loyalty programs, exclusive discounts, and personalized customer experiences. Entrepreneurs build loyalty and foster positive word-of-mouth marketing by demonstrating a commitment to the customers’/clients’ satisfaction and well-being.
Example
Justina Blakeney is a designer, artist, author, mother, and founder of Jungalow, a lifestyle marketplace supporting many social issues, from climate change to refugees and immigrants. Chances are you’ve seen her designs at Target! Her business has a reward program, mobile shopping experience, newsletter, book list, and more to keep customers engaged. You can feel the dedication to her relationship marketing from her fun and personal branded messaging to the website layout.
Prioritize Social Responsibility and Impact
Incorporating social responsibility into your business model allows you to connect with your audience. By aligning your brand with meaningful social causes and initiatives, you can create a positive impact and foster a sense of shared values with your customer base. Plus, you can positively impact change and progress for important causes such as aligning with a women’s organization and supporting women’s rights. Demonstrating a commitment to social responsibility promotes brand authenticity and attracts customers who resonate with your ethos and mission.
Example
Dr. Rasha Rady and her friend, Doaa Aref founded CHEFAA, an AI-powered platform for pharmacies that helps patients fulfill prescriptions, have them delivered, and more. Access to medications in the Middle East and North Africa is challenging despite the high rates of chronic illness. Their platform supports many women and individuals to gain access to the pills they need to stay alive,
Respond to Customer Feedback
Putting out new products or services without listening to what your audience says about them is a slippery slope to zero engagement. People want to feel like their opinions are valued. What better way to prove your dedication than listening to feedback and responding to it?
Example
Popflex is an athleisure brand owned by Cassey Ho, a social media fitness entrepreneur. While she loves designing athletic clothes for women, she also loves creating styles that suit everyone’s preferences. Her customers will leave comments on her videos asking for different lengths, sizes, textures, fabric choices, and more. Then, Cassey will upload another video with a new product designed specifically for her audience’s feedback.
Relationship marketing is a powerful tool that empowers many female entrepreneurs to build a thriving business while fostering meaningful connections and creating a positive impact. By emphasizing authenticity, nurturing personalized communication, and prioritizing social responsibility, you can create a loyal customer base and a supportive network that propels their businesses toward sustainable growth and success. Plus, you don’t have to do it alone!
Find Marketing Support From an Expert
Connecting with other women business owners is one of the best ways to find support and advice. IAW Influencer Member Maryrose Solis is a personal brand developer and fractional marketing service provider with 20-plus years of experience.
Her advice on relationship marketing is to approach it with a genuine interest in people. “If you have a genuine interest in people and passion for helping others, then your marketing strategies should be based on acquisition, engagement, personalization, and retention,” said Maryrose.
“The following three key factors are the ABCs of heart-centered relationship marketing. Your understanding of the law of attraction will support your efforts to acquire. Your brand will play a huge part in personalization and retention. And your ability to create creative content will impact your engagement. All of which is rooted in the understanding that you are trying to reach a human being.”
At the International Association of Women, you’ll find connections with women like Maryrose navigating the same challenges as a business owner. IAW is a global community of professional women who have helped thousands of women like you take their businesses to the next level. From weekly webinars, networking events, local chapters, and more, numerous benefits support you at every step.
