Relationships. For some people even the idea of a relationship is daunting. They fear everything that could go wrong which in turn affects the development of the relationship. Although romantically speaking there is no manual to follow, when it comes to developing customer relationships online and using digital marketing there are a few basic ideas that can help your relationship blossom.

Initiating a relationship with a customer
Although it's tempting to jump when you see something you think you want, don't just rush into any online relationship. If you don't truly understand what your ideal customer looks like and in turn what they want, then you won't know what to deliver. Start by looking and listening rather than assuming. Observe the market, track browsing and shopping habits and once you know who you want as a customer find out what they want.

Make the first move, and when you do offer them something of value that would interest them so that you can show some substance to earn their trust. It's important not to over promise and under-deliver as this will only damage the relationship early on. Only make promises you are prepared to keep.

Building on your relationship
In the early days, before you really know each other, it helps to start building the relationship with your customer with a touch of surprise and delight. They don't know your business well yet so impress them with an engaging communication thanking them for their purchase or for registering for your newsletter. Perhaps offer them a discount for their next purchase or a gift that will make them feel special.

Maintaining the relationship
There comes a time in every relationship where the surprise and delight fades away and the glue that holds the relationship together comes down to some basic fundamentals. Here are my pick to keep the relationship rolling:

Keep your promises. It's simple but effective.
Only speak when you have something to say. To minimise noise, only send out relevant and well targeted communications and offers. Your customers are much more likely to see value in your relationship when you're not yelling at them with irrelevant banter for the sake of it.

Show responsibility.
If you make a mistake, don't hide from it or sweep it under the carpet. 'fess up and apologise. Do what you can to make it up to your customer. They will appreciate it.

Keep watching and listening
Your customers are constantly evolving and changing and you'll need to change with them. As with any relationship, if you're not growing together, you're growing apart.

Be aware of your customer's lifecycle and create a digital marketing strategy that works alongside this, this will help ensure the right messages are received at the right time in their life.

Learning how your customer changes

Essentially you'll need to watch and listen. You can do this by monitoring two types of activities:

1) Active measures
A customer relationship driven business should produce at least one comprehensive customer survey per year to keep up to date with what customers are up to and how their buying habits might have changed.

Include a customer survey in your automated lifecycle communication process . After 6 months on your database or perhaps after a few purchases send them a survey. Automated systems will help you actively keep track of any major changes in your customer's life and can help you maintain your relationship with them.

2) Passive measures
Through web analytics and transactional data mining you can see how groups of customers are changing through their browsing and purchasing patterns. Through these measures you can do your best to keep your relationship with your customer as healthy and up to date as possible.

Breaking up?
It doesn't have to come to this. Even if you feel you have neglected your customer for a while or things have changed and you've been feeling as though they've become a 'low value' customer, there are some things to consider.

Even if a customer hasn't purchased recently they may still be well connected to the rest of your customer database, especially through social media. If they feel neglected they could retaliate publically. Even a low value customer can have a loud voice. Look after your customers' feelings and keep showing them you care. A strategy as simple as a 'Haven't heard from you in a while' email can make all the difference in rekindling a relationship.

A customer may be at a place in their lifecycle where they don't need you so much right now but given time they could become a 'high value' customer once again.

The stronger the relationship you have with your customers, and the more time and interest you invest, the longer your relationships will last and the more value you will derive. When it's seven times more cost effective to generate revenue from an existing customer than from a new customer, it's worth the time and energy maintaining the relationships you have, don't you think?