Like a good wine, relationships get better with age.

That holds true not only for our personal connections but also for those with our customers.

Relationships are the backbone of effective marketing, and cultivating them requires patience. To have people not only buy from you, but also rave about your brand you need to build recognition, connection, and trust in your product or service. This will give you valuable brand advocates. Much like any other relationship, you need to focus on different things at different times.

So, as you start out, let your audience know a bit about you, but don't come on too strong! Keep things light and look to generate interest rather than go straight for the sale.

As they get to know you better, hopefully they'll get to like you too!  In the same way that you should familiarise yourself with your date's interests before starting a relationship, you should do the same here. Your personality should shine through in all aspects of your marketing, including your website, content, and promos, since your relationship with clients is no different.

And then it's time to build the trust that will lead to sale (hopefully). If we take the personal relationship analogy again, they need to know your values and be able to relate to you on that level. The end goal is to have a group of dedicated consumers who are so confident in your brand that they will actively seek out new customers on your behalf. Building and maintaining high quality relationships takes time and effort, so don't expect results overnight.

Connected consumers are 52% more valuable than happy customers (Harvard Business Review).   'Customer delight' was the cornerstone of Amazon's early business model, because they knew that loyal consumers are more likely to spend more money, most often.  So focus on developing long-term, high-quality client relationships that serve as a firm basis for growth.  Aim to keep customers coming back, by providing value even after they've made a purchase. 

The cherry on top of the loyal customer base is that by building a community of loyal customers who will spread the word about your brand they'll do your job for you after a while...well not quite, but they'll certainly help!

So, think of your marketing not in terms of the here and now, but as an investment that will benefit your brand in the long run, rather than a series of quick fixes. Also, keep in mind that it can take a fine wine a long time to mature so the best customers may mean some patience on your part.