What are the key elements of a relationship plan for a new customer?

1 Customer profile

The first element of a relationship plan is a customer profile, which is a summary of the customer's background, needs, preferences, and challenges. A customer profile can help you understand your customer's perspective, motivations, and pain points, and tailor your communication and service accordingly. To create a customer profile, you can use various sources of information, such as surveys, interviews, feedback, data analysis, and social media. You can also segment your customers into different groups based on their characteristics, behaviors, or goals, and create profiles for each segment.

2 Value proposition

The second element of a relationship plan is a value proposition, which is a statement that describes how your products or services solve your customer's problems or improve their situation. A value proposition should be clear, concise, and compelling, and highlight the benefits and advantages that your customer can expect from working with you. To create a value proposition, you can use the following formula: "We help [customer segment] to [achieve goal] by [offering solution]". For example, "We help small businesses to grow their online presence by providing web design and marketing services".

4 Communication plan

The fourth element of a relationship plan is a communication plan, which is a schedule and strategy for how you will communicate with your customer throughout the relationship. A communication plan should specify the frequency, mode, tone, and purpose of your communication, and address the customer's preferences and feedback. It should also include a contingency plan for how you will handle any issues, conflicts, or changes that may arise. To create a communication plan, you can use the following questions: "What do you want to communicate?", "When do you want to communicate?", "How do you want to communicate?", and "Why do you want to communicate?".

5 Performance indicators

The fifth element of a relationship plan is a set of performance indicators, which are the metrics and criteria that you will use to monitor and evaluate the progress and success of your relationship. Performance indicators should be linked to your relationship objectives, and reflect the value that you deliver to your customer. They should also be quantifiable, relevant, and consistent, and follow the KPIs (key performance indicators) principles. To create performance indicators, you can use the following format: "[Measure] [Direction] [Target] by [Timeframe]". For example, "Customer satisfaction score increase by 5 points by the end of the quarter".

6 Improvement plan

The sixth and final element of a relationship plan is an improvement plan, which is a process and plan for how you will review and improve your relationship based on the feedback and results that you collect. An improvement plan should include a regular and systematic review of your performance indicators, a feedback mechanism for your customer, and an action plan for implementing any changes or enhancements that are needed. It should also involve a continuous learning and adaptation mindset, and a recognition and reward system for your customer. To create an improvement plan, you can use the following steps: "Collect data and feedback", "Analyze and interpret data and feedback", "Identify strengths and weaknesses", "Prioritize and implement actions", and "Measure and celebrate results".

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?