If you’re looking to build a deeper, lasting connection with your customers, permission marketing might just be your golden ticket. Traditional advertising shouts at everyone, but permission marketing speaks only to those who want to listen. Implementing it can seem daunting at first, but if you break it down into clear, manageable steps, it becomes a powerful system for growth.
Let’s dive into the 9 steps to successfully implement permission marketing in your business:
1. Determine the Lifetime Value of the Customer
Before anything else, you need to know what a customer is worth to you over their entire relationship with your business. Understanding the lifetime value (LTV) informs how much you should invest in gaining and keeping permission. It helps you decide how aggressive and resourceful your marketing efforts can be without losing profitability.
2. Build a Communication Stream
Develop an ongoing conversation with your customers through emails, web pages, and other touchpoints.
Selfish Reason to Respond: Offer something that benefits the customer immediately — free content like ebooks, webinars, or a discount code.
Move Up the Permission Ladder: Start small (like signing up for a newsletter) and gradually gain deeper permissions (like getting their birthday or shopping preferences).
Capture and Measure Reactions: Track every offer’s response rate to fine-tune your messaging over time.
Permission marketing still needs visibility. Regularly measure your ad performance. Throw out the bottom 60% — the ads that aren’t performing — and create new ones. This strategy keeps your outreach fresh and competitive for the lifetime of the campaign.
4. Measure Permissions and Buying Behavior
The real magic happens when you start measuring how gaining permission affects buying behavior. Are customers who gave you permission buying more often? Spending more? If not, it’s time to refine your offers and communications.
5. Track Progress Up the Permission Ladder
Are customers moving from basic permission (like email subscriptions) to deeper levels (like providing phone numbers or making larger purchases)? Track this movement carefully to ensure your relationship is growing stronger.
Once you have a permission-based marketing funnel running, look for ways to automate. Tools like HubSpot, Mailchimp, or ActiveCampaign can help you automate follow-ups, segmentation, and personalized content delivery without losing that personal touch. Also consider automation tools like Make.com and Zapier.com
7. Redesign Your Website for Permission Acquisition
Your website should shift from being just a static brochure to being an active lead-capturing machine. Every page should offer a soft way for visitors to engage further — think lead magnets, free trials, and newsletter sign-ups.
8. Audit Your Permission Database
How deep and valuable is your permission database? It’s not just about how many contacts you have — it’s about the quality. Do you have permission to reach out? Are the contacts engaged? Regular audits keep your database clean and your outreach effective.
9. Leverage Permissions Through Co-Marketing
Lastly, don’t go it alone. Partner with complementary businesses to cross-promote products or services. With permission in hand, you can introduce your customers to partners they will appreciate — and vice versa. Everyone wins, especially the customer.
Conclusion:
Permission marketing isn’t just a tactic; it’s a philosophy of respect and relationship-building. It’s about providing value before asking for value in return. If you implement these 9 steps thoughtfully, you’ll not only see better marketing results but also build a business with loyal, enthusiastic customers.
Do you have plans to apply the 9 steps of permission marketing to your business? If so, which step do you think will have the biggest impact for you?
