Getting to really know the people you are marketing for can be a real challenge. This is especially true for someone like me, just stepping in and inheriting a laundry list of clients.
Last week I had the opportunity sit in on an important meeting at the offices of one of my larger clients. Given that I was at the tail-end of my second week and still learning all the ins and outs, I didn’t imagine much was expected for me in this meeting other than honestly just being there to represent Roundpeg and clear up any questions the client had. I wasn’t presenting anything, I didn’t have anything particularly valuable to contribute.
However, I got a lot more out of it than I expected. It really got me thinking about the client/marketer relationship.
Being there for your clients is so important in the marketing world. Without them, well, you have nothing. So why wouldn’t you want to make them feel special? It’s known as Relationship Marketing, and it’s an important part of the marketing business. No matter how big or small, a personal touch is always valuable, not only for your client, but for you as well. Seriously, put in the extra effort to build a good relationship with your client!
Getting a feel for the client
It is especially important for content folks like me. My daily duties require me to produce content that represents the client. How can you best represent the people you work for without knowing who they are, what their message is and how they conduct their business?
It’s all about tone. You can write a really great and informative blog post, but if your client doesn’t feel like it it meets the message they are trying to send as a business or that it even feels like it came from them then they aren’t going to like it and won’t use it. By keeping up regular contact, asking questions, visiting and getting to know your client and their employees you can learn about who they are and what they stand for. Does your client try to cultivate a fun work environment? Reflect that in the way you write for them. Are they a family business? Reflect those values.
Keeping tuned in
Knowing your client well makes this aspect of the content side of the business a lot smoother. If you know what is going on with your clients at any given time, you have a lot better perspective on the type and topics of blogs you produce. You won’t be scrambling for subjects to write about if you know what is important to them, what big things are going on in the industry, changes at the company and so on.
Doing a little extra research on the side is another great way to keep current. Search the web, read and keep track of trends in the industry you are marketing for. This will give you plenty of ammunition to base future blogging on and may even impress your client with your knowledge of their industry. Brownie Points! Hooray!
It gives you a face
Building a good relationship with your client says a lot about you to them. It helps put a face to the name, proving that you’re not just some troll or robot sitting in front of a computer all day typing away — even if you kind of are! Stopping in for a visit every now and then, keeping daily correspondence and just showing a general interest in your clients’ line of work shows them you actually care. It helps them feel more secure and confident about where they are putting in their hard-earned dollars.
This builds trust and understanding. Maybe a promotion doesn’t do as well as you both hoped or a newsletter falls flat and doesn’t get the numbers you aimed for. Better trust and history with a client will help you get past it and move on to more success in the future.
Why does this matter to you?
If you are going to hire a marketing company, of course we hope it will be us but even if it isn’t, remember with relationship marketing you get what you put into it. Look for a company which makes you feel special, puts in the extra effort and really cultivates a strong relationship with you and your business.
And if you would like to find out how we do it at the ‘Peg, we would love to talk to you.
Roundpeg is an Indianapolis marketing firm.