Relationship marketing—combined
with education-based communications—
is the winning formula for using your
knowledge and expertise to create a solid,
sustainable business that lasts well beyond
your next speaking gig.
needs, interests and wants. By offering free
products, you can capture your potential
client’s name and launch a relationship.
Nurture Relationships
Once you have attracted the attention of
prospects in your target market, you will
nurture relationships by providing value
until they are ready to buy your products
and services. By delivering information
and education through products, programs and services, you can stay in touch
on a regular basis, provide great value,
establish credibility and earn trust.
WHY IS RELATIONSHIP
MARKETING IMPORTANT?
Studies show that it takes seven to 10
“touches” or “contacts” for potential
clients to get to know, like and trust you
before they will be ready to buy your
products or services. If you are in a rela-tionship-based business, keep in mind
that the more intimate and personal the
service, the more comfortable your prospects will need to be before they hire you.
Maintaining communication is extremely
important as the relationship evolves.
The beauty of speaking is that while
not all participants will be ready to take
the next step with you, the relationship
is expedited simply because they are
able to experience you in the flesh. The
key to generating long-term relationships and sales, however, is to maintain a
relationship after your speaking engagement with those who need more time
to get to know you. This is why delivering education-based communications is
imperative to attract prospects and keep
them engaged over time.
Convert Prospects to Clients
Delivering information through various
free or low-fee products and services
moves prospects to the next level of
engagement with you. While always
giving value, it is important to constantly
communicate your paid product and
service offerings.
The key to
generating long-term relationships
and sales however,
is to maintain a
relationship after
your speaking
engagement with
those who need
more time to get to
know you.
FAMILIARITY
BREEDS SUCCESS
To capitalize on using education-based
communications in your business, you
must build your strategy around the
four phases of relationship marketing:
• Attract prospects.
• Nurture relationships.
• Convert prospects to clients.
• Solve clients’ needs with products
and services.
Attract Prospects
You can use your knowledge and expertise to create free information products
that are relevant to your target market’s
Solve Clients’ Needs
with Products and Services
When making offers for prospects to move
to the next level of engagement with you,
the goal is to get them to purchase your
primary income-generating products and
services. Offer a variety of products and
services at various price points so that your
prospects can choose how to engage with
you as the relationship evolves.
Studies show that new prospects will
only spend a minimal amount of time and
money when they first become aware of
you. As they become more familiar with
you, they will invest more. Therefore,
you want to initially provide products
and services that require a minimal time
investment, thereby making it risk free.
As the relationship evolves, you deliver
greater value, and strategically require
a greater time and financial investment
from your prospect.
Converting prospects to clients
is a gradual process, as this example
illustrates:
Your potential clients experience you
at an event. They do not purchase your
products or services, but they would
like to continue the relationship so you
guide them through the four phases of
relationship marketing by:
• Inviting them to download a free
report, ebook, or your PowerPoint®
slide deck.
• Inviting them to listen to short
audio program.
• Sending an article on a topic of interest or a short, pre-recorded webinar.
• Inviting them to attend an upcoming
workshop, where you can offer another
product, service or training program.
