What is relationship selling?
The term "relationship sales" describes an approach that is the opposite of the stereotypical "close the deal at all costs." Instead, it encourages honest dialogue aimed at building trust and empathy between the seller and the customer.

This approach is based on creating an atmosphere of mutual understanding, where both the seller and the buyer benefit from each other's knowledge. Effective use of "sales through relationships" techniques contributes to the formation of a base of regular and loyal customers.

Jim Cuthart, in his book Relationship Selling, aptly described this two-way process:

"Relationship selling is a form of sales, not just a type of relationship. Their goal is to help other people with benefits for themselves. When you really help, you deserve a decent reward for your product or service."
By prioritizing customer communication over other aspects of the traditional sales process, sales managers can deliver real value without impacting profits.

Relationship sales techniques are effective because they meet customers' growing expectations for personalization. Hubspot's research shows that 70% of B2B customers expect deep personalization and are willing to switch service providers if they don't get it.

By forming relationships in which customers feel like partners rather than just participants in a transaction, "selling through relationships" can help build long-term relationships with customers and increase sales.

In the context of gamification
It is important to note that "sales through relationships" play a significant role in the field of gamification. After all, gamification, in fact, is built on building a long-term relationship with the user, motivating him to repeat the target behavior.

What are the stages of relationship-based sales?
While each company will have its own relationship-based sales process, there are five key stages to this process, sometimes referred to as the "Five A's."

Awareness – This is the initial stage of sales where sales reps can identify potential customers and start building relationships.
Acquisition – In this phase, the sales rep develops an understanding of the customer's needs and begins to create a solution tailored to their specific situation.
Alignment – At this stage, the sales rep identifies the right solution for the client and works with them to align it with the client's goals.
Action – During this phase, the sales rep helps implement the solution and makes sure that it works correctly.
After-sales Service – This is the final stage of relationship-based sales. Sales reps stay in touch with customers to ensure that their needs are met and problems are resolved quickly.
These general steps can be applied to any type of customer interaction, whether it's a face-to-face meeting or telemarketing. They can be adapted to the needs of each individual client.

Why is it important to sell through relationships?
Hello, dear friends! Let's open the door to the world of relationship sales together and find out why it's so important. Imagine a magical garden where every flower is your customers. In order for this garden to flourish, you need not just to plant seeds (sell), but to take care of each sprout (build relationships). And here are some amazing fruits you can harvest:

Long-term connections: Your customers will come back to you again and again, like bees to fragrant flowers.
Increased trust: When you build strong relationships, customers start trusting you more – like an old friend.
Increased loyalty: Customers become your loyal supporters and may even recommend you to their friends and colleagues!
Sustainable business growth: Gradually, your business will grow thanks to strong connections with customers. It's like a tree that gets taller and stronger every year.
So let's grow our garden of relationships together! Remember: each customer is a unique flower in your magical sales garden.

Building trust with the client
By demonstrating a genuine interest in bringing value to the player's experience and meeting their needs, we can build long-term relationships. Even if the deal is not closed immediately, strengthening the reputation of a reliable partner can lead to repeated appeals in the future.

Useful tips:

Actively listen to player feedback and react to it. Forums, reviews, and comments are a valuable source of information.
Be transparent in communication. Be honest about the development process and don't be afraid to admit mistakes.
Offer players not only the product itself, but also additional value: guides, contests, exclusive content.
Interesting fact:

Loyal players tend to spend significantly more on games than new users. By investing in building relationships, you are actually investing in the long-term success of the project.

Increased customer loyalty
When customers feel that their relationship with your brand goes beyond just transactional, they are much more likely to feel positive about your products or services and maintain loyalty to your company in the future. This is especially important for B2B companies, where long-term relationships are critical to ensuring customer loyalty.

Relationship selling for B2B customers can help build trust and rapport, as well as provide ongoing value through tips and tricks.

Increase sales opportunities
Customer relationships based on trust and understanding offer more opportunities for cross-selling and upselling than relationships built solely on transactions.

When customers have developed a good relationship with your brand, they are much more likely to be open to information about your new products and services. This creates more opportunities to generate additional revenue from existing customers.

Best customer service overall
Customer service is not only the task of your customer service team, it should be an ongoing effort of your entire company. Relationship-based sales help create a customer experience that is much more focused on creating value for the customer than just trying to make a sale.

By focusing on adding value through advice, analytics, and support, relationship-based selling helps brands provide better overall customer service to their customers.

More chances of repeat sales
The reality is that customers value personalized experiences that offer genuine value, rather than a gradual price drop. Relationship selling helps create positive customer relationships that can lead to repeat sales and referrals.

As customers become more familiar with your brand, they're also more likely to turn to you for services or advice rather than looking for competitors. This means that relationship sales techniques are essential for building long-term customer loyalty.

As you can see, selling through relationships isn't just about making deals. It's about creating relationships that bring long-term value to the customer. By taking a consultative approach to customer engagement, brands can ensure that their customers get the most out of their collaboration.

It also means taking the time to understand the customer's specific needs and provide tips and tricks on how your services or products can help them.

Ultimately, relationship selling is about building trust with your customers. By investing in these relationships, you can create loyal customers for your brand that will keep coming back for more.

Effective examples of "selling through relationships" in game development
Now that you have a clear understanding of what relationship selling is and the benefits of this approach, let's look at real-world examples of how these techniques can be used to build strong relationships with players.

Tip: In game development, "selling through relationships" goes beyond just selling games. It's about building a community that is passionate about your project. It's a long-term investment that will pay off with player loyalty and positive feedback.

Fun fact: Many successful indie developers build their campaigns on close interaction with players during the Early Access stage. This allows them to receive valuable feedback, improve the game, and build a loyal community even before release.

Example 1: Content as a key to the customer's 🗝️💖 heart
Imagine: a B2B company selling marketing services is like a caring friend, sending chain letters to its customers every week - newsletters! But not just dry news summaries, but real treasure boxes: carefully selected content relevant to the industry and the client's interests.

But that's not all! 💥 They, like experienced tailors, tailor the content to each client, taking into account their individual needs and preferences. What a care, you will say! And you will be right!

This is the brightest example of relationship selling in action! After all, the company does not just sell services, but as if it builds strong relationships based on understanding and care. Such personalization is like a balm for the client's soul, showing that they are thought of, appreciated and tried to make their life a little better.

Example 2: Discounts for regular customers
Imagine that you are a company selling cosmetics. You want customers to come back to you again and again. How to achieve this? We offer a system of discounts for regular customers!

Why does it work?

Customers see that their loyalty is rewarded and they feel special.
Discounts are always a nice bonus that motivates you to continue shopping with you.
This approach is a prime example of a relationship with customers built on mutual benefit. You show that you value your customers and are ready to thank them for their loyalty to the brand.

 
Example 3: Personal relationship with whales is the key to success
Imagine: you are developing a mobile RPG, you have paying players who spend the most on your project - real whales! So, a company that sells SAAS solutions will not be lazy to get to know its "whales" better. They are in touch 24/7, keeping them informed of all events and progress of the company.

What for? It's simple: this is how the "whales" feel their importance and connection with the brand. And this, as you understand, motivates them to stay with you for a long time.

That's relationship selling in action! You show your most valuable players that you care about them. You value their opinions and are willing to do anything to keep them happy (well, almost anything - balance is more important after all).

A couple of tips from an experienced developer:
Create a VIP chat for the "whales", where they can communicate with each other and with the developers.
Organize exclusive events and contests only for VIP players.
Listen to their feedback - it is priceless!
Fun fact: 80% of your profits come from 20% of players. Guess who the 20% are? That's right - your "whales"! So take care of them like the apple of your eye.

Example 4: Your personal gear guru!
Imagine: you are standing on the verge of a dizzying journey, binoculars and trekking boots in your backpack, and a thirst for adventure in your eyes! But how do you choose the equipment that will be a true friend on this exciting hike?

And then a company enters the scene, like an experienced traveler who has seen all the peaks of the world. They don't just sell you a tent or a sleeping bag – they offer a solution to your problem! Attentively, like old friends around the fire, they ask about your goals, dreams and fears, about the route and the weather. And then, like wise gurus, they advise you exactly the equipment that is perfect for you.

This approach is not just a sale, it is the magic of creating a personal experience! You feel cared for and understood, and most importantly – confident that you are going on the road fully armed!

Example 5: After-sales support
A B2B IT services company provides ongoing customer support after the sale. They regularly contact customers and give advice on how to get even more benefits from the services purchased.

This is another example of effective relationship-based sales as it shows that the company values its customers and is willing to continue to provide them with a high level of service even after the sale is completed. It also demonstrates that the company is committed to helping its customers get the most out of their purchases.

Example 6: Using listening skills
Listening is a critical part of selling through relationship building. It's important to take the time to listen to your customers and understand their pain points. This will ensure that your solutions are tailored to their needs and provide a better customer experience.

For example, if you're a B2B merchant offering accounting software, it's important to listen to your customers and understand their specific needs. This will help you provide them with the best solution possible and show that you care about helping them achieve their goals.

In the context of gamification, the use of listening skills also plays a key role. Gamification involves the use of game elements in non-game processes to increase user engagement. By understanding your customers' needs and preferences through active listening, you can create more effective gamified strategies.

Example 7: Showing empathy
It's important to show empathy for your customers and show that you understand their situation. This can be achieved through active listening and demonstrating that you care about the customer's experience with your product or service.

Studies show that indifference on the part of sellers leads to the loss of 68% of customers, as customers want to feel heard and valued. Demonstrating that you care about them as individuals and understand their needs goes a long way toward building strong relationships with customers.

For example, if a customer is having trouble using your software, don't limit yourself to offering technical support; Take the time to understand how he feels and offer solutions tailored to his experience with the software. This way you will show that you understand his problem and are ready to help him solve it.

 
Example 8: Gaining trust
Guys, trust is like the foundation for a skyscraper, only in our case, a skyscraper is a relationship with players. Without him, everything will collapse. How to build it? We need to be honest and open. Both in life and in game development.

For example, if your studio is making an online RPG, don't promise players a moon from the sky and Avatar-level graphics if the engine isn't up to the task. Be honest about the game's features, bugs (and they will definitely be, believe the old developer!), respond to messages in Discord and forums, and quickly solve problems. Players will appreciate it!

Here are some tips for building trust:

Communicate with players regularly. Stream, write blogs, respond to comments – show that you can hear them.
Be transparent during the development process. Share news, screenshots, videos from the beta test - this will make players feel part of the process.
Admit your mistakes. We're all human, and we all make mistakes. It's important to admit a mistake in time, correct it, and maybe even laugh at yourself with the players.
Remember that trust is a fragile thing. It is easy to lose, but very difficult to get back. Work on it every day, and your players will repay you with loyalty and love!

Example 9: Asking questions
Asking the right questions is another important skill for relationship-based sales. Taking the time to understand your client's needs and goals can help you come up with the best solution for them, and asking good questions shows that you care about their experience.

For example, a B2C company that sells outdoor gear should ask customers detailed questions about their individual needs and preferences. This will help them offer the best products for each customer, and customers will appreciate the company's care for them.

In gamification, it is important to take into account the motivation of users and their needs. 

Example 10: Social networks are your invisible networks for catching customers!
Friends, relationships with customers are like a marathon, not a sprint! And in this marathon, social networks help us - a real magic wand of a modern seller!

Imagine that you're like a friendly travel guide, leading a customer through the maze of your products. On social media, you can:

Talk about new products, as if about the long-awaited premieres of blockbusters!
Answer questions here and now, like a real superhero saving the world from ignorance!
Delight with discounts and promotions, as if you are arranging a holiday for your subscribers!
And you know what's the most interesting? Studies show that 84% of business leaders make purchasing decisions inspired by social media! It's just a bomb!

So make the most of social media, build strong relationships with your customers, and your sales will skyrocket!

Key Benefits of Loyalty Platforms
One of the main benefits of using loyalty platforms is the ability to create a unique experience for each customer. Personalization plays a key role in modern marketing, and loyalty platforms allow you to collect and analyze data about customer shopping behavior, preferences, and interests. This allows the business to offer exactly those products and services that are most in demand from a particular client.

Another important benefit is increased customer satisfaction. Loyalty programs that offer bonuses, discounts, and exclusive offers create a sense of care and attention from the company. This contributes to the formation of long-term relationships and an increase in the degree of loyalty.

Loyalty platforms also help businesses collect valuable data to analyze and improve their operations. With the help of such platforms, you can track the effectiveness of various marketing campaigns, analyze customer behavior, and identify trends. This allows you to quickly make changes to the strategy and improve the quality of services provided.