Introduction
The advanced technologies and new marketing concepts, made most companies struggle to focus on and fufill customers' needs as best as they can. This also has made most companies focus on their marketing strategy, value creation to improve their performance. The inbound marketing strategy and relationship marketing are considered as the strategy of growing organization to build meaningful and lasting relationships with customers. It is about valuing and empowering these people to reach their goals at any stage in their journey with organization. Thus according to this strategy, company goal is to attract new prospects, engage with them at scale, and delight them individually. The present study aims to answer the question of whether there is a relationship between inbound marketing strategy, relationship marketing and brand loyalty with the mediating role of customer engagement and brand trust in Melat Bank in Isfahan.
Methodology
The study is applied in terms of purpose. The structural equation modeling-based descriptive survey explains the relationship between inbound marketing strategy, relationship marketing and brand loyalty with the mediating role of customer engagement and brand trust in Melat Bank in Isfahan. The statistical population of the study consisted of customers of Mellat bank in Isfahan. Using the convenient sampling method by Cochran's formula, 296 customers were selected as the research sample. The research conceptual model was identified by reviewing books, documents, articles, thesis, databases, and internet networks. The questionnaire was verified using Cronbach's alpha coefficients and compositional reliability. The research data were analyzed using SPSS.28 and AMOS.22 and structural equation modeling.
Results and Discussion
To test the hypotheses, the partial least squares method has been used, which is one of the approaches of structural equation modeling, and that has been done using AMOS.22 software. Furthermore, the research’s main hypothesis testing also revealed that, inbound marketing strategy had influenced customer engagement and relationship marketing had influenced on both customer engagement and brand trust. In addition, the results of testing the hypotheses showed that customers engagement impacted on both brand trust and brand loyalty. In addition, brand trust influenced brand loyalty.
Conclusion
According to the managers of Melat Bank, to reach their audiences, they should create and publish contents such as blog articles, offers, and social media that provide value. Examples of contents include guides on how to use their products, information about how their solution can solve challenges, customer testimonials, and details about promotions or discounts. To attract customers' trust and loyalty of brand and achieve their engagement on a deeper level through inbound marketing and relationship marketing, they should optimize all of these contents through search engine optimization strategy by defining target specific keywords and phrases related to searching products or services, solve the challenges that customers confront, and help target audiences in different ways. These will allow their content and information appear on the search engine results page for the people who are searching this information known as their target audience or the right customers for their business. In addition, when Bank Mellat managers use inbound strategies to engage with their audiences, they should be ensured that they’re communicating and dealing with leads and customers in a way to build long-term relationships with them. Incorporating thoughtful, well-timed chat bots and surveys to assist, support, and receive feedback from customers is a great way to delight these people. Bots and surveys should be shared in time throughout the customer’s journey to ensure they make sense and are of value. Contacting through social media is another important strategy when it comes to delighte customers. They can also provide the followers' feedback, questions, or their shared experience related to products or services. These interactions with providing the required information helps, supports and encourages followers that shows they are heared and cared.