Until recently, I hadn’t thought about how stepping out of my “comfort zone” in my career would benefit me — after all, who really wants to be uncomfortable while they’re working?

Influencer relations and strategic inner circles have been around for some time, but the digital era has certainly contributed to their evolution.

83 percent of U.S. consumers say having a positive customer experience with a brand is more important than the product itself. For those of us who spent our careers in B2B businesses, where the investment and innovation dollars have gone to product, this is a very significant finding.

Listening and acting are two concepts that are absolutely critical to the health and longevity of customer advisory boards.

Optimizing customer engagement requires more than quantitative surveys

I’m not from Texas nor am I a big fan of country music, so I have never understood the plethora of purchase options or the extensive price range for cowboy boots. However, after reading an article about Paul Hedrick, a young man who took his cowboy boots business, Tecovas, direct-to-consumer, a lightbulb went off in my head — no, I still don’t understand the need for cowboy boots, but I understand why it made sense for Hedrick to have a B2C business.

In order for boards to thrive, there must be reciprocal value for both the sponsoring company and the clients they bring together. Here are a few things to consider when developing and managing executive advisory boards to ensure that all parties experience the benefits.

Content marketing strategies can be made stronger and more relevant through simple co-creation approaches.

Too often customer retention is not treated with the same level of focus and care as net new sales. Given the amount we spend on net new sales it is critical for companies to put the same energy and focus - or more into retention.

It’s not surprising that companies are searching for ways to use Artificial Intelligence. At Farland Group, we hear from clients who are using AI within their own organizations — whether to cut down on manual tasks for employees or to create a better customer experience. We are seeing the use of AI on a consumer level too, so it makes sense that the people behind these capabilities are looking for ways to humanize them.

[AS SEEN IN HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW] Advice on how to bring value to your customer engagement strategy.