Imagine for a second that you’re planning a dinner party. You want to expand your social circle, so you send your invitations far and wide - friends of friends, past colleagues, former neighbors, etc. The RSVPs are just the brink of your event planning process. Since you want to create a foundation for future friendships, you have to show everyone a good time once they walk through your door. 

Surprised that your favorite blogger is promoting a product from your favorite brand? Don’t be. 82% of Americans seek recommendations from friends and family when considering a purchase, according to a study we completed in partnership with Nielsen.

Finding individuals, customers and non-customers alike, to refer your product or service may come quick -- and even easy! However, identifying the cream of the crop, acknowledging them and finding more of those superstars, might not be as simple. We break down the best way to engage with this valuable audience and retain your best brand advocates. 

You may have heard the term “relationship marketing” being tossed around recently. Relationship marketing refers to everything you do to develop strong, lifelong relationships with your customers. From influencer programs to referral campaigns to affiliate marketing, relationship marketing builds brand awareness and positions your brand as your customers best option. The most important part of relationship marketing is facilitating two-way conversations with your customers.

If you’ve checked out our recent on-page SEO blog post, then you’re no doubt incorporating what you learned to help your content rank higher - things like ideal content length, optimizing your h2 tags and the importance of targeting the right keywords.

The marketing industry is shifting toward a customer-centric, solution-seeking, data-driven model and marketers are encouraged to follow suit. Marketers have to know how to crunch numbers, spot trends, spark interest, make changes, and make connections - all while surpassing the competition.