SUBSCRIBERS RULE!As I mentioned earlier this week, we had the pleasure to host author Steve Yastrow at our recent Agency Partner Summit.
After the session, Steve shared his thoughts on the SUBSCRIBERS RULE! philosophy dovetails with his recent book, We — The Idea Customer Relationship. His advice — that companies spend as much time developing “we” relationship with existing customers as they do acquiring new customers — is great advice no matter the economic climate.
While addressing ExactTarget’s Agency Partner Summit at Connections last week, author Steve Yastow did something unexpected. He dropped a little Zen knowledge on the assembled throng by explaining how the concept of “not one, not two” relates to today’s marketing environment.
According to the practitioners of Zen Buddhism:
“Not one” means that we cannot ignore differences among individuals. Each of us is unique and that’s what gives life its texture and richness. “Not two” acknowledges the unity of everything in its essential nature. The experience of unity expands our awareness and capacity for love. (Beliefnet)
In today’s marketing environment, Steve argues, we would be well advised to reflect on “not one, not two” to better understand and nurture our relationships with customers and prospects alike. On one hand, we are individuals with unique needs and interests. On the other, however, when we choose to interact, we create a “not two” entity — a third entity if you like — that exists solely because of our decision to connect with one another.
Whether that third entity — our relationship — is successful depends on a variety of factors. However, one thing is certain; it will not thrive if we view it solely from the standpoint of purely selfish needs. Steve suggestion? Chant “not two” if you must while focusing on what connects you to your customer, and what’s truly important to the relationship will become clear.
Personally, I believe a great many email marketers could benefit from this “not two” exercise. Too often, whether due to deadlines, staffing issues or business priorities, our email marketing efforts are left to focus on our selfish needs first. While this may yield short-term results, it also prevents us from evolving one-off customer transactions into long-term customer relationships — relationships that ultimately prove more profitable for everyone involved.
For more insight on how to get to the “we” relationship that email marketing affords, be sure to check out Steve’s book, “We — The Ideal Customer Relationship,” as well as his blog at www.yastrow.com.
For more on Zen Buddhist philosophy, here’s an overview from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Be warned - the contents may make your head throb with meta-physical pain enough for not one, but two, people.