Consumer relationships

This interesting HBR article ( http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/05/three_myths_about_customer_eng.html?goback=.gde_1952271_member_119509501 ) highlights two important points in terms of building relationships with consumers:

1) You have to clearly identify the consumers with whom you have already established a relationship, the ones with whom that is potentially possible and the ones with whom that will not be possible. And treat them differently, with clear strategies and tactics for each one of these groups.

2) You will only be able to establish a relationship with a consumer if you share strong, aligned values that speak at their hearts. Those might be on product quality (think of baby care products), attitude (think of K2), social / environmental responsibility (Unilever),... If you don't offer them products that remind them of those values that you share, if you don't reinforce that alignment on every single opportunity, you will lose your relationship. 

And, if you don't share a relationship, don't spam - build it by striving those values.