Meaningful relationships make life more enjoyable and your business more successful. Building and maintaining a variety of relationships is one of many public relations techniques that should be a part of your (PR) strategy and your overall marketing goals. However, relationship management is more than who you know and goes beyond just exchanging business cards.
Relationship management includes strategies to build support for a business and its products or services, often with the goal of developing brand loyalty. Most commonly, relationship management is thought of as building and maintaining relationships with your clients or customers (B2C). However, relationship management, especially in PR, can also include creating and maintaining valuable business connections (B2B).
Evaluate your needs. Beyond your clients or customers (your #1 relationship), think about other areas of your industry or your market where it could be beneficial to have a connection. Do you have a strong advocate in the community? Is there a trailblazer you could approach to begin a mentorship with? Perhaps you’re missing a reliable media contact? Consider what kind of relationships you may be missing and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!
Reach out! It’s rare that a great connection just happens in a vacuum. Consider an important business relationship you have, it’s likely that one of you had to make the call, send the email, or offer the handshake. Don’t be afraid to make the first move. You certainly won’t be any worse off if you strike out, so take the chance, be confident, and start up a conversation.
Focus on your audience. You’ve certainly heard this before, but it’s important enough to repeat, it’s all about your audience! Consider who you’re talking to (or want to), what they’re interested in, and why they should connect with you. If you don’t know anything about your audience, it’s tough to reach out and establish common ground or provide value. So, do your research and analyze your audience.
Consider what you can offer. Business relationships can take many forms but they should never just be about what you need. Don’t make every conversation about what you need or what you can provide. Check-in to see what you can offer a connection or how you can help them succeed. What goes around comes around in the business world and if you’re offering value and demonstrating trustworthiness, dependability, and honesty, you’ll likely get that in return.
Put in the time. Be sure you’re checking in just to see how things are going. Long-term relationships are more about genuine care for another’s well-being. So, give a connection a quick call, ask them to coffee, and just spend time catching up; it will serve you well in the long run.
Good client relationship management is vital to your business. Whether on a B2C or B2B level, relationship management should be an important part of your PR strategy. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to establishing and maintaining fruitful connections to help your business thrive.
Looking for more PR tips? Contact us today at hello@lumstudio.com, we’re always happy to help!