Relationship marketing is a tool for listening to impressions, opinions, and attitudes of customers. As consumers, we're all drawn to experiences, not products. This DirectBrief is a resource for generating ideas and increasing marketing momentum in building business dialogues.

Creating a Self-Perpetuating Sales Funnel

Consider your current customer database. Based on value of each customer, the majority of company growth comes from the top 20% of all of your customers. To grow business, the old model says to throw more prospects into the sales funnel. The result: more customers—coupled by higher operating costs, sales costs, customer service and support.

Can a business trim costs and grow customers at the same time? The general consensus says we must. To do so, focus just on your sweet spot—your customers who are hungry for business relationships. Here's who and how:



When you direct all of your communication toward high-value client relationships, you optimize the source of your database—the sales funnel—by flipping it upside down. Marketing to high-value clients fills the funnel with like-minded prospects and customers because your funnel gets filled by the help of your most powerful sales force, your "customer advocates."

Seth Godin, a prominent customer change agent, talks about flipping the sales funnel on its side as a metaphor for a megaphone...thereby empowering customers to endorse you and your product. It all boils down to a process of asking, listening, and then acting, creating a self-perpetuating feedback loop where customer behavior is analyzed and taken into account when designing the next communication.

In addition, profiling your highest-value clients will do away with vague "marketing speak," thereby driving memorable product messaging and collateral. Long-term client relationships will attract healthy business and bring speedy and measurable returns.

FULL ARTICLE

5-MINUTE HOW-TO DEMO

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