Are you overloading your consumers?

Business marketers - especially those who regularly run Facebook campaigns or send email newsletters - aim to create a lasting impression when they interact with consumers so as to increase traffic and in the end, improve their bottom line.

However, a recent survey from the Harvard Business Review found that if you haven't find-tuned the way your business is interacting and engaging with consumers, you're unlikely to see a positive return on investment from your campaigns.

For instance, it's foolish to think that consumers intrinsically want to have a relationship with your brand. Just because they Liked your Facebook fan page or follow you on Twitter, that doesn't automatically mean you've gained a consumer for life. A mere 23 percent of those polled said they had a relationship with a brand, while 77 percent felt relationships are best left for family and friends.

What you need to do, instead of bombarding customers with messages and emails in the hopes of befriending them, is separate the consumers you've already built relationships with from those you haven't, and alter your marketing tactics accordingly.

What's more, even if a consumer is interacting with you via email, social media, etc., that doesn't guarantee that you've built an actual brand relationship with that person. The best way to relate to a consumer is to display a "higher purpose," the news source states, using the example of how Pedigree Dog Food shares its belief that "every dog deserves a loving home." People love their pets, so they can relate to the message. Try clearly communicating your brand's philosophy or higher purpose to create stronger loyalty.

On a related note, more interaction with a consumer doesn't always breed more revenue. By constantly sending offers, rebates, updates and newsletters, you may actually create an information overload, reducing the chance that targeted consumers will buy your product.

Don't overload your customers like Neiman Marcus Group did last year, when it sent its email subscribers more than 500 emails apiece, notes The Wall Street Journal, citing a recent Responsys study. Researchers found that in 2011, the nation's top 100 retailers in terms of ecommerce revenue sent an average of 177 emails each.

Step back, let the consumer breathe. Every shopper needs their space.