• Attracts LOYAL customers. When you speak to the values you attract people with the same values. When you attract people with the same values they because VERY loyal customers! They’re drawn to you for a very personal reason and not just because they want “an email marketing course” – so they’re going to stick around.
  
• Doesn’t get boring! I don’t know about you but if I have to talk about the exact same topic for another 5 years I’m gonna DIE of boredom. LOL. I know, dramatic. But seriously I can’t handle the same topic over and over and over again! There is so much variety that allows for when you use core message marketing.
  
• Allows for pivoting. If you’re locked into a niche it’s hard to pivot your whole business. Instead you’ll probably need to start over from scratch. When you build a brand around values then you can keep sharing those values in relation to the new direction and people are generally very accepting of that.

Core Message Marketing is a powerful way to build a business. If you’d like to dig further into this idea I suggest you check out this course: Core Message Marketing

The post Do this instead of picking a business niche… appeared first on Living Lifestyle Freedom.

In email marketing my favorite kind of email is the relationship email.

What is it?

Here’s my definition of a relationship email:

This is an email that builds a relationship with your subscriber.

Simple. Easy. Effective.

In order to create relationship emails you really need to shift your thinking from being a “marketer” to being a “friend”. Someone who ACTUALLY cares about your subscriber, not someone who pretends to care.

ACTUALLY care.

This is how you build a relationship.

And when you do email marketing AS a relationship marketing medium, when then the game changes completely.

How Relationship Email Marketing is a Game Changer

When you look at your email list as a cash cow they know it.

Your subscribers are HUMANS and want to be treated as such.

How would you email a friend?
What would you tell them?
What advice would you give them?

This is the kind of tone your relationship emails should have.

What to Write in Relationship Emails

People think that any time you send an email for “value” or for the “relationship” that it can’t include a promotion.

The idea of promoting your products is considered “anti-relationship”.

But what if it weren’t?

What if telling someone without pressure and with a gentle message of helpfulness were actually more helpful to the relationship than anything else could be?

This is why I send a sales promotion in every email.

My courses and products are of the HIGHEST value I offer and so it’s up to me to invite my subscribers to check that offer out and see if it can have a big impact on their lives.

How to Write Relationship Emails

The formats for relationship emails are endless.

What I like to do is use the first half of the email to offer the “relationship” builder piece. This will be some kind of advice, insight, tip, motivation or story that will help my subscribers with what they’re trying to achieve.

Then, I move into the second half of the email with a highly related product to offer. This is usually at a discount, on sale, but not always.

Relationship Building Email Content

Share a Story – Something useful and relevant. It might be inspiring or educational. Teach something. Make them think. Something of value that is relevant.

Offer Tips or Advice – You can guide your reader through something they need to learn or know to achieve a goal.

Share Content – You could link to a great blog post you’ve written or other content that you know will be helpful. I’ve found that the people on my list love PDF downloads.

Get Social – Invite your subscribers to join you on social media sites for a deeper connection and for them to get to know you outside of business (if you share like that).

What’s the Point of Relationship Email Marketing?

When someone’s asking about how to create relationship emails in email marketing I can’t help but believe what they’re really asking is this:

How do I build a relationship with my subscribers so they trust me and buy my stuff?

The good news is that once you build a relationship with your subscribers, a TRUE relationship, they WILL buy your stuff if it’s right for them.

So keep making offers. Keep being genuine.

When the relationship exists there’s no need for pushy tactics. You won’t feel like a sleezy salesperson. You won’t feel the need to use drastic or unethical tactics.

You’ll just say “hey, here’s something that might be right for you” Or “I think you’ll love this” Or “Oh I have this thing that I think will help you”… and they’ll take a lot and buy if it’s right for them.

That’s the power of doing relationship email marketing right!

The post In Email Marketing What is a Relationship Email? appeared first on Living Lifestyle Freedom.

Asking “what are the benefits of relationship marketing” will get you so far but it’s more important to think of how YOU can bring value. Then lean into the belief that by giving and creating TRUE relationships you will be able to help each other in a real, authentic and sustainable way.

Basically I’m saying… be a true friend, build marketing connections without expectations and just keep moving forward without trying to create the benefits of relationship marketing. Just let go and let them happen naturally.

What are the Benefits of Relationship Marketing?

The number one benefit and so often overlooked of building a business that leverages positive relationships and connections is that it FEELS GOOD.

Imagine a business where you don’t need any tricks, strategies, tactics and methods that you do just because you “have to”. So many people running businesses believe they have to do the “necessary evils” in order to achieve the good of the business.

This is such a slippery slope and it’s just not true!

The big benefit is a joyful, growing business that FEELS GOOD. But the benefits don’t stop there.

Benefits of Relationship Marketing to Customers:

• You get repeat customers who LOVE you and buy again and again.
• Customers stay a long, long time (brand loyalty).
• You will gain new sales and equally loyal customers through FREE customer referrals.
• You’ll easily find partners, affiliates and cross promotions that are win-win situations.

List of Ways to Achieve Marketing Connections

Your potential customers, partners and affiliates will feel a sense of connection with you if you do certain things effectively and consistently.

The list below gives you some of the activities I’ve seen proven time and again to build relationships in business.

Relationship Marketing in B2B and B2C

Think about people first, not the bottom line. The business grows when people feel like you are actually in business to serve them. That’s what a business is all about.

Consistency in Marketing & Giving Value

Some businesses show you that they’re consistent in trying to get your money but are they consistent in CARING and GIVING VALUE.

This can be as simple as the content you put out there demonstrating how you understand the needs of your customers. This truly builds better relationships and GOOD WILL to your potential customers and customers.

Being of Service in Business

It is so easy to spot a business that cares only about profits versus a business that is actually in line to be OF SERVICE to it’s customers.

If you want to learn what the benefits of relationship marketing are and the power of marketing connections then you’d do well to switch the mindset from “what can I make money from?” to “how can I best serve my customer?”.

So many businesses get this wrong! We see it all the time in bad customer service and that’s just the beginning of a businesses culture. If the customer isn’t being treated right you can best believe that the company doesn’t have being of service as top of mind.

It’s easy to stand out as a stand up business just by adopting this attitude: Be of service.

Authenticity to Create Marketing Connections & Customer Relationships

I’m told all the time that I am “real”. I personally don’t know any other way to be. I’ve recognized, however, that this gives me an incredible advantage for building marketing connections and building my business.

Nobody wants to talk to a fake person. It just doesn’t feel good. Nobody leaves happy. Not you (who’s trying to be “professional”) and not your potential partner or customer.

What does feel good is authenticity. If you are hiding who you are in your business this will just make you FEEL inauthentic. That feeling will translate into your energy and how you present everything you do. It’s always better to be who you really are.

How Building Relationships in Business Helped My Business

When I first started a business online I just wanted to sell soap from my website.

I figured I’d just put up a website, sell to strangers on the internet and go about my daily life.

Then I started looking for help and advice and I found these little online communities of people in forums (back in 2002) who became my friends. This was long before Facebook made it super easy to connect!

I had no idea at the time how very important and valuable those friendships would be to my long-term success!

You’ve heard it before that people do business with people they KNOW, LIKE & TRUST. It’s not just a catchy thing to say, it’s TRUE.

It’s multiple times harder to sell to an audience who doesn’t know you. So I highly recommend you start now building marketing connections and doing relationship marketing within your business. No agenda… just relationships. THEN when you find a good fit you reach out and it feels magical and right.

Here are some of the amazing marketing and business connections I’ve made over the years:

Cindy Bidar of CindyBidar.com

Jenn Hazlett of AltAdmin.ca

Akosua Brown of WhatsYourStoryAuthorServices.com

Steps to Building Marketing Connections & Customer Relationships:

• _{Step 1: Connect with people you like and have something in common.}
• _{Step 2: Build an actual, real, beneficial relationship with them.}
• _{Step 3: Offer ways to work together when it makes sense.}

In the end relationships can bring so much value to your life and your business.

The key is to always be authentic, let go of expectations and think of others (the partners, the customers). SERVE first and think of how you can add value. This is key to marketing connections, customers relationships and a business that makes people good to buy from!

All the best as you grow your business by building relationships.

Other posts you might like:

Email Marketing Platforms – Free vs Paid

Want to see how I create marketing connections and do customer relationship marketing? Join my email list below!

The post What are the benefits of relationship marketing? appeared first on Living Lifestyle Freedom.