Client relationships are the antidote to the client churn treadmill. Are you exhausted from constantly chasing new customers, feeling pressured by targets, and watching those connections slip away? If you’re a marketing manager (Maggie), solo consultant (Cindy), or team leader (Tina), you know the burnout of transactional marketing. It’s time to prioritize building lasting client relationships as the smarter path.
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to focus on just selling – the quick sale, the fast signup. But what if there’s a better way to nurture client relationships? What if you could build connections that not only help your business but also feel good for everyone involved?
Think about human-first marketing. It’s not about just making deals; it’s about making real client relationships built on trust. It’s about seeing your clients as people, understanding what they really need, and showing them you care. Indeed, it’s the best way to move from just doing deals to building true client relationships.
Why Just Selling Things Doesn’t Work So Well: It Can Wear You Out
Think about it: selling things all the time can be hard work. You always have to find new people, and it’s sad when people leave after just one buy. Did you know it costs more money to find a new customer than to keep a customer you already have? It’s like watering new plants all the time when you could just take care of the ones you already have and watch them grow!
For marketing managers like Maggie, this means tired teams. If you’re always pushing for new sales, your team can get worn out. It’s like asking them to run a race every day! They don’t have time to think about big ideas because they’re too busy with small things.
For people like Cindy who work for themselves, just selling things makes it hard to have a life outside of work. If you always need to find new customers, you never get a break. It’s like being on call all the time!
The problem with just selling things is that you miss out on making real connections with people. And that can make everyone tired and unhappy.
Human-First Marketing: Let’s Be Friends!
Human-first marketing is like saying, “Hey, let’s be friends first, and then maybe we can work together.” It’s about remembering that customers are people, just like you and me. They have feelings, they have things they care about, and they want to feel understood. Marketing should be about connecting with people, not just selling to them.
Here are some ways to do human-first marketing:
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Try to See Things Their Way: Don’t just think about what you want to sell. Think about what your customers need and want. What are they trying to do? What makes them happy or sad? Talk to them, ask questions, and really listen to their answers. It’s like trying to understand your friend before you decide what game to play.
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Talk Like a Real Person: Don’t use fancy words or sound like a robot. Talk to your customers like you’re talking to a friend. Be real, be honest, and be yourself. If you make a mistake, say sorry. People like it when you’re genuine.
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Give Good Stuff First: Before you ask people to buy anything, give them something helpful. Maybe it’s free tips, good advice, or just a nice hello. Show them you care and you want to help. It’s like sharing your toys before asking to borrow theirs.
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Think Long Term, Not Just Right Now: Don’t just think about the next sale. Think about making friends that will last. Friendships take time to grow, and so do good customer relationships. Be patient and keep being helpful and kind.
Human-first marketing is not about forgetting about computers or the internet. It’s about using them to help people connect better. It’s about using tools to make real friendships, not just get more clicks. It’s about remembering that marketing is really about people talking to people.
How to Make Friends with Your Customers: Easy Steps
Okay, so how do you actually do human-first marketing? Here are some simple steps to make friends with your customers:
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Step 1: Know What They Really Want: Don’t just guess what your customers want. Find out for real. Ask them questions. What are they trying to fix? What are they dreaming about? Are they trying to make their business bigger, make their life easier, or feel better about themselves? When you know what they really want, you can talk to them in a way that makes sense to them.
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Step 2: Talk to Them Like You Care: Don’t send the same message to everyone. Try to talk to each customer like they are special.
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Say Their Name in Emails: When you send emails, use their name. It’s like saying “Hi [Friend’s Name]” instead of just “Hey everyone.”
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Be Real on Social Media: When you’re on Facebook or Instagram, don’t just post ads. Talk to people. Answer their questions. Share fun things about your company and the people who work there. Let them see the real you.
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Make Helpful Stuff: Create things that really help your customers. Maybe it’s guides, tips, or videos. Make it good stuff that they will really use and like. This shows them you’re there to help, not just sell.
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Step 3: Help Them Out Before They Buy: Be helpful even if they haven’t bought anything yet. Give them free stuff that’s useful. Offer to answer their questions for free. Be nice and helpful before they even become a customer. It’s like helping a friend move boxes before they ask you to.
Making it Work for You: No Matter Your Job
Human-first marketing can work for anyone. Here’s how:
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If You’re Maggie (Marketing Manager): Get Your Team on Board:
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Teach your team to be friendly. Make sure everyone knows why it’s important to be nice to customers.
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Make a plan for being friendly. Think about all the ways your team talks to customers and make sure it’s friendly and helpful.
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Let your team be themselves. Don’t make them sound like robots. Let them talk to customers in their own real way.
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If You’re Cindy (Solo Consultant): Be Friendly Even When You’re Busy:
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Use computers to help, but stay human. Use tools to keep track of things, but always make sure your messages are personal.
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Focus on the most important people. Spend extra time with your best customers and the ones who need you most.
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Do things in groups. Set aside time to send personal messages or talk to customers, so it doesn’t take over your whole day. Remember to Work Smarter, Not Harder and use your Marketing Simplification Framework to help you. [Internal Link to “The Marketing Simplification Framework: Work Smarter, Not Harder” Here]
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If You’re Tina (Team Leader): Make Friendliness Part of Your Team:
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Be friendly yourself. Show your team how it’s done by being friendly to customers and to your team too.
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Tell people when they do a good job being friendly. Let your team know when you see them making good connections with customers.
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Listen to your team’s ideas. Ask them how you can be even friendlier to customers and make things better.
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How to Know if It’s Working: More Than Just Sales
Sales are good, but human-first marketing is about more than just sales right now. Here are some other things to look at to see if it’s working:
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Do people stay with you longer? If customers stick around, it means they like you and trust you.
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Do people buy more over time? If customers become friends, they might buy more from you over the long haul.
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Do people tell their friends about you? If people are telling their friends, that’s a great sign they trust you and like what you do.
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Do people talk to you and your stuff online? Are people liking your posts, answering your emails, and joining your groups? That means they’re connecting with you.
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Ask people what they think. Talk to your customers and ask them how they feel about working with you. Do they feel like you care? Do they trust you?
Conclusion: Marketing That’s Good for Everyone
Changing from just selling to human-first marketing is a big change, but it’s a good change. It’s about making a business that’s built on real friendships, helping each other out, and trusting each other.
When you’re friendly, honest, and helpful, you can make friends with your customers. And those friendships can help your business grow, make your work more fun, and make the world a little bit nicer too. It’s time to stop just chasing sales and start making friends that last!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What exactly is transactional marketing?
A: Transactional marketing focuses primarily on making individual sales. It treats each customer interaction as a separate transaction, with the main goal being to close the deal quickly. It often overlooks building long-term relationships and focuses on immediate gains.
Q: How is human-first marketing different from traditional marketing?
A: Traditional marketing often focuses on the product or service and its features, pushing sales messages to a broad audience. Human-first marketing, however, prioritizes understanding the customer as an individual. It’s about building genuine connections, addressing their needs, and fostering trust over time, rather than just pushing for a sale.
Q: Does human-first marketing mean ignoring sales targets altogether?
A: Not at all. Human-first marketing is a strategy to achieve sustainable sales growth. By building strong client relationships based on trust, you are more likely to retain customers, increase customer lifetime value, and gain referrals. It’s a long-term approach that ultimately leads to healthier and more consistent sales results.
Q: Is human-first marketing more expensive than transactional marketing?
A: While it might require an initial investment in time and effort to build relationships and create personalized content, human-first marketing can be more cost-effective in the long run. Retaining existing customers is significantly cheaper than constantly acquiring new ones. Loyal customers are also more likely to make repeat purchases and become advocates for your business, reducing reliance on expensive acquisition strategies.
Q: How quickly can I see results from implementing human-first marketing?
A: Human-first marketing is not a quick fix. Building trust and strong relationships takes time. You might not see immediate sales spikes, but you should start noticing positive changes over time, such as increased customer engagement, improved customer retention rates, and more positive feedback. Think of it as planting seeds – it takes time to nurture them before you see a full harvest.
