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Strong brands and strong relationships are synonymous. If you have one, typically you have the other. But relationships aren't just about people who are customers.
Certainly, they start with customers who love what you offer and continue to spend money with you. They are the mainstay of your business and should never should be taken for granted. But they aren't the only people you should forge relationships with.
In addition to customers, you need prospects. These are customers who haven't yet been converted. They represent business potential. Generating growth fr0m prospects is critically important for your business. You can't grow and expand without converting newcomers.
Second, you need influencers. These are the people who tell other people about you. They may be customers. They may be players in the sales and marketing process. They may be dealers or representatives. They may be editors or reviewers. Yet they influence hundreds of other people and need to be totally informed about you.
Third, you need fans. These are passionate people who have fallen in love with you. They may be customers (but often are not). They may be bloggers or participants in discussion forums. Regardless, they know you inside and out, they are enthusiastically committed to you, and they tell the world about you. They are experts on how great you are, why your minor faults should be forgiven, and why you should be considered above everyone else on the planet.
In fact, you are probably a fan yourself. Think about your advocacy for colleges you didn't attend. Automobiles you love but do not drive. Your desire for exotic island destinations you haven't visited and maybe never will. That's fanship.
Today, relationships should be forged with everyone who is relevant to your business.
This includes people who are customers, people who can become customers, and people who influence the rest of us. Strong brands forge these relationships. Smart brands are thinking about how.
Fortunately, creating and maintaining relationships has never been easier or more affordable. That's what the web was invented for.
