Out of sight, out of mind, out of work.
by Brian Block, 1/21/2010 1:35:46 PM | with 0 comments
Staying in touch with people is a fundamental rule of business. People do business with people they know, professionally or personally. This does not just apply to garnering new business but retaining existing customers as well. You have to communicate with your clients regularly to maintain your relationship – and their business.
Keep existing business by planning out your touchpoints with people. I’m not talking about a set calendar of items you check off every week, but a strategy to remain at the forefront of your client’s mind. Some tactics are simple, but can easily be forgotten, so pay attention:
Hold weekly calls with the client. Make them an involved partner in all your activities. Keep them invested in your work. Another bonus: If you have questions and can’t get a hold of them during the week, this is the chance to get your answers.
Take them to an event. Does your office have an extra ticket or two to a game or to the theater? Invite them to attend the event with you to create a fun and favorable memory of you outside of work.
Remember holidays and birthdays. Think about how you feel when a company you have close ties with sends you something for the holidays or your birthday. How likely are you to cut them out of your budget?
Be a resource and teach them something. Show your clients that you are interested in more than what is defined in your scope of work. If you find articles or books you find interesting that a client could benefit from, send it over. Helping them learn more about what you know could lead to extra business.
Friend, follow and connect. If (and only if) you are comfortable connecting to a client through a social network, then by all means -- do it! Learn more about each other to keep the working relationship strong. BE WARNED: Even if you become good friends, your work may be subject to inappropriate or over revealing posts.
Don’t overdo it now. Getting lost in maintaining touchpoints at the cost of quality service will deteriorate any customer relationship. Carry out these tasks in moderation and you’ll always turn client contacts into true relationships.
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