Relationships and treating customers as partners
Are you focused on flogging stuff or building relationships? The difference is substantial but often misunderstood.
Doug Levy has written an interesting article titled 5 principles of breakthrough success in the “Relationship Era”. Levy talks about the history and evolution of business through the following phases:
Product Era: The focus is solely on transactions.
Consumer Era: The focus is still on transactions, but the idea of trust enters the dialogue as a way to persuade people to transact more.
Relationship Era: Trust between a brand and consumer is mutual. Trust and transactions are seen as distinct, and both are important.
I especially like his succinct principles for a relationship:
Principle 1: Clarify purpose
Principle 2: Commit to sustainable relationships
Principle 3: Connect with authenticity
Principle 4: Treat customers as partners
Principle 5: Engage
My thanks to Sarah Derry #sarahderry for telling me about this article. Read the complete article.
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