Episode 159: BEST OF BELLA: Relationship Marketing & Buyer Personas With Jessika Phillips

Today for the Best of Bella series we are replaying Episode 120 with Jessika Phillips. She runs a multi-million dollar marketing firm where her major platform is relationship marketing and at the end of the day as small service providing businesses in our communities it's all about the relationship. Jessika really leaves you with a lot of nuggets to think about that you can use in your business today, you don't want to miss this one. Show Highlights Who Is Jessika Phillips? [3:00] How do I get started with relationship marketing? [7:30] How do we tie in relationship marketing with buyer personas? [15:30] What does a relationship marketing plan look like and how do I know if it’s working? [20:00] What should we be doing on social media to start implementing relationship marketing? [26:00] Describe your FREE social media toolkit? [27:15] Original Show Notes Jessika Phillips helps people master Relationship Marketing and as a relationship marketing evangelist she is often sought after for her approach to marketing. She’s the passionate Founder of NOW Marketing Group and host of the largest social media marketing conference in Ohio, Social Media Week Lima as well as the host of a weekly live video show called Magnet Marketers. Biggest Takeaway You Don’t Want To Miss When it comes to marketing, the first step is to think about how you are capturing attention. How are you standing out? Attention is the game when it comes to marketing. Usually somebody will take notice of you because you’re helping them in some way. Articulate your message in a way that’s clear and concise. Create micro-moments that will build the relationship. Make them feel excited to do business with you by creating a unique and enjoyable experience. Special Offer Social Media Toolkit: https://nowmarketinggroup.com/landing-page/download-social-media-toolkit/ Links Jump & Scale: jumpconsulting.net/scale Magnet Marketers Podcast: magnetmarketers.com NOW Marketing Group: www.NOWMarketingGroup.com   Share The Show Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review! Click this link – Bella In Your Business Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section Click on ‘Write a Review’ Transcript: Welcome to Bella in Your Business, the best of Bella. My name is Bella Vasta, the host of this podcast, and today we have episode 159 that's actually a replay of episode 120. You see, we're going to be talking to Jessica Phillips of Now Marketing Group out in Lima, Ohio. She runs a multi-million dollar marketing firm where her major platform is relationship marketing. And that's exactly what she's going to talk about today. I loved this podcast so much that I wanted to share it with you again, because at the end of the day, as small home-based service-providing businesses in our communities, it's all about the relationship, but it's not just that easy jargon that you might think of. Jessica really leaves you a lot of nuggets to think about and play with and percolate on that you can actionably use in your business today. Not to mention that this is also another person who really walks the walk. She takes what she teaches and she actually implements it, which is why at such a young age, she's been able to create a multimillion-dollar company. Jessica Phillips, I have so much respect for her. She is also one of my good friends, but it's really going to help you, and we've received such incredible feedback on this. I hope that you like this, and this is going to be the last of the best of Bella replays. As we come into the fall, we are going to be getting into our next episode with Lauren Cora from the Pet Industry Coalition. You will not want to miss that one. But without further ado, here's Jessica Phillips. Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready. Bella's got your shoot. Let's jump! Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, your host, and today I've got a treat for you. Jessica Phillips—I met her when I was asked to come speak at Ohio's largest social media convention that she actually puts on. Jessica and I, she's like one of those people that you just instantly bond with. One of those people you instantly want to be BFFs with. And today she's on our show to talk about relationship marketing. Did you even know that was a thing? Jessica shares that she worked in corporate America for about five years in telecommunications, during the time when people were transitioning from the big Zach Morris phones to smartphones. She found that she couldn’t sell anything unless she stopped and listened to understand what people really needed. That insight—understanding pain points, the day in the life of her clients, and how her services fit in—became foundational for her. Later, she started working with mom-and-pop shops and realized that people came to them because of the human touch and personalized service. She began using social media to help them tell their stories since it was free and accessible, and she fell in love with that process. Eventually, she founded Now Marketing Group to help small and medium-sized businesses connect with their audience online using social media and relationship marketing. Bella points out how relevant that is to her listeners—small, locally owned pet businesses that thrive on relationships. Jessica explains that relationship marketing is not a process like social media or content marketing, but an ideology. It’s about focusing on retaining clients and creating such great experiences that they want to come back and refer others. It’s doing business by treating others the way you want to be treated. Jessica introduces the CARE approach—Capture attention, Articulate your message, be Relationship-focused, and focus on Experience. She explains that capturing attention comes first—standing out through how you help people. Articulating your message means people should be able to describe what you do in one simple sentence. Being relationship-focused means creating memorable micro-moments, like the personalized touches Bella experienced at Jessica’s conference. Finally, focusing on experience means designing interactions that make customers feel valued enough to refer you. She emphasizes the importance of pausing to reflect on who your ideal clients are, what makes your business unique, and how you can best serve them. Bella adds that pet business owners need to think beyond “know, like, and trust”—they need to create raving fans who will evangelize their brand. Jessica notes that customer experience begins even before a business interaction—making sure your information is accurate online, your website is mobile-friendly, easy to navigate, and answers client questions. She highlights that after a client books with you, every touchpoint matters—from how quickly you respond to calls to adding small, personalized gestures like notes about pets’ milestones. It’s about making clients feel one in a million. She also reminds business owners to treat existing clients like VIPs, not just new ones, using examples like phone companies that offer deals only to new customers. The conversation shifts to personas—semi-fictional representations of your ideal customers. Jessica explains that business owners should identify who their best clients are, what they value, what challenges they face, and what questions they’re asking. She stresses the importance of also identifying negative personas—people you don’t want to work with—because saying “no” to the wrong clients can open space for better ones. Bella agrees, pointing out how many small business owners take any paying client out of excitement, only to realize later it wasn’t the right fit. Jessica advises that when business owners clearly define who they want to serve, they can build a loyal client base that amplifies their brand through referrals and positive experiences. She then outlines how to create and test a relationship marketing plan: start by defining your brand, your ideal and negative personas, and what you want to be known for. Then, plan how to attract and convert clients—whether through social media or other touchpoints. Choose only the channels you can actively engage in; it’s better to do a few well than to be everywhere. Relationship marketing doesn’t require a salesperson, Jessica notes—her own company has never had one. Instead, they “drink their own Kool-Aid” by offering valuable content that attracts clients organically. She advises measuring success by tracking conversations rather than likes—real interactions where people comment, ask questions, and engage meaningfully. Responding to comments with questions keeps the conversation going. She also encourages collaborating with others, featuring your clients’ ideas or success stories, and building communities that foster connection. Jessica suggests tracking repeat visitors to your website, engagement time, churn rate, and referral numbers. For pet businesses, churn can be tricky, but even collecting client feedback through surveys or Google forms helps maintain relationships and improve services. As the episode closes, Jessica gives final tips: focus on collaboration, active listening, and gratitude. Use social listening tools to understand what your audience is talking about, create content that answers their real questions, and look for ways to personalize engagement daily—whether it’s a shoutout, a thank-you post, or a quick video reply. Spreading positivity online will come back to you tenfold. She wraps up by inviting listeners to download her free social media toolkit, which includes image dimensions, best practices, free tools, and posting tips for different platforms. Bella thanks her for such an insightful conversation,