Change Agent, Advocate. Kindness. Marketing

Here are 20 relationship marketing tips to acquire, retain your customers and partners.

First, tally up all your marketing assets of what you can offer to a potential partner in terms of exposure. Find a niche that you can own.  Nurture your relationships as it may take anywhere from 3 months to one year to finalize a partnership.

1. Develop referral sources – these are warm to hot people who have used your  services or they know what you are capable of.
2. Develop partnerships for your products or services. This could be affiliates or vendors or other people that you do business with.
3. Adopt a cause marketing partner – these are nonprofit groups or causes. It will help the both of you tap into markets or customers you would not have gotten on your own.
4. Join a Barter exchange, this is another source to tap into of reach a customer base that you may not have or be able to reach. Get rid of extra stock.
5. Be an expert. Create a special unique name for yourself. Be known. Write a report or White paper.
6. Start a brag book, if you haven’t got one already. List your media exposure, articles that have been published. Awards that you have received
7. Teach a class by using your expertise or something that you are passionate about
8. Raise your prices – so often we under price ourselves.
9. You can’t achieve new goals without putting time into them. Delegate duties you don’t want to do – shave off 5 minutes and put that time towards something new.
10. Get a mentor, take a tele-class or join a mastermind group to keep you motivated.
11. Take one day off to rejuvenate yourself. No calls to customers or biz stuff. Rest, meditate, play or just be with your friends and family.
12. Develop a strategic plan in attracting new customers and retaining the ones you already have
13. STOP  LISTEN  WRITE  EXPLORE for new fresh ideas
14. Up sell your present customers – by offering more product or services you offer. Or partner up with a non-competing business share your offers.
15. Maximize the value you give your customers
16. Throw a ‘nice’ party, for all the people who are nice
17. Be mission based – Why you do what, you do
18. Create a loyalty program for repeat business
19. Use surveys – ask what your customers would like that you are not delivering
20. Assign yourself or someone else to develop your partnerships