Clients... and 38 ways to communicate with them

As Alan Weiss (guru to the savvy consultant) says:

"It is actually difficult to contact clients too much. It is easy to fail to contact them frequently enough. If there is anyone anywhere who has ever sent you a check for your services and with whom you haven't communicated in the past 6 months, then you will never reach your growth potential. The secret is simple: Establish an ongoing dialogue with clients. In the worst case, a monologue will do."

You don't get business you don't ask for. You don't get remembered if you don't keep in your clients' minds.

But how can you keep your name on the tip of their tongues?

Here's 38 ways:

Print:

Letters; brochures; newsletters; article reprints; job aids and checklists; posters and sayings; cartoons; testimonials and examples of completed assignments.

Phone

Calls to 'stay in touch'; a 1800 (or 800 in USA) number and hot-line help to encourage use; information relayed on meetings or events of interest; reminders of long-term follow-up responsibilities and dates; introductions to third parties (that is, customers for your client).

Events

Interviews with the client for industry journals; attendance at industry and professional meetings that the client attends; hosting periodic conferences on topics of interest; acting as an intermediary with other clients for mutual learning.

Internet

Web page updates and additions; 'password' website reserved for clients; regular email contact; branding in your email signature file; email with ideas and suggestions; references and/or hyperlinks to relevant sites; a chat room on your website; an extranet

Personal

Visits to the client without any particular agenda; entertaining key clients; sending holiday cards or gifts (as permitted); participating in mutual charity events and fund-raisers; seeking out common community and social events; sending "I'll be in the area" cards.

Other

Co-authoring articles with the client; sending fax messages and information; advertising in industry publications the client reads; exhibiting at trade shows that key clients will attend; asking the client to help you as a critiquer, advisor, editor, etc.; inviting the client to be on your advisory board; breakfast or lunch meetings you sponsor on relevant topics.

Obviously, not all of these methods will lend themselves to your own business. But I am amazed and ashamed that there are so many more ways I can be keeping in contact with my clients than I currently am.

What might be useful is to compile a Communications Strategy for each of your clients, utilising a checklist of the most appropriate of these methods for each individual client.

When you match consumer psychology with effective communication styles you get a powerful combination. Lee Hopkins can show you how to communicate better for better business results. At Hopkins-Business-Communication-Traini ng.com you can find the secrets to communication success.

---

Carpet Cleaning in Surrey

Like any business, carpet and upholstery cleaning requires excellent customer... Read More

Customers - Hold Onto the Ones Youve Got

You probably spend a great deal of your time looking... Read More

Dealing with Difficult People

1. Don't get Hooked !!!When people behave towards you in... Read More

When the Customer Demands: Give a Discount or Lose the Order

Periodically every sales person encounters the customer who refuses to... Read More

Accountability

The Call Center world is an intense pressure-driven environment continually... Read More

Poor Customer Service - Are Your Customers Driving Away Other Customers

Every customer you have is a word-of-mouth advertiser for you.... Read More

My Child Has Opie Eye!

7:00 a.m., the silence in the house is broken by... Read More

6 Reasons Why Complaining Customers are Golden

With Some Tips on How to RespondTt has probably happened... Read More

4 Myths about Customer Value

The purpose of business is to create and retain a... Read More

Sales Marketing: 10 High Impact Ways To Improve Your Customer Service

If you want to last a long time in business... Read More

Customer Service, the Internets Primary Neglected Business Concern

Customer service is everything to a business. Just look at... Read More

Your Career Plan--Think Like A CEO

You've been going 6-to-late; exhausted by running the supersonic treadmill... Read More

The Consumer Power

While most companies talk about consumer friendliness, customer centricity, customer... Read More

Customer Loyalty

Loyal customers are the foundation of almost every business. Going... Read More

The Drawback of Hacking Off a Blogger Through Weak Process Gaps and Pathetic Customer Service

With all of the recent data theft in the financial... Read More

Oil Change Customer from Hell or Hoax; You Decide

Evacuation, "E-Vac" Oil System for Oil ChangingHow do most mobile... Read More

Customer Service Consultants

When all else fails in your company to meet the... Read More

11 Ways to Get What You Want - Be a Clever Customer!

We all want great service, whether we are buying our... Read More

Communicating for Profit and Customer Satisfaction

The President of a 200+ store division of a major... Read More

Customer Satisfaction and the Service Business

The relationship between customer satisfaction and success of a service... Read More

How to Easily Increase Your Profits

Do you remember the last time you went into a... Read More

Customer Service - How Good Are YOU?

At 8.30 am a wealthy client (on his way to... Read More

Customer Feedback: Everyone has an Opinion - USE IT!

Have you ever been in a department store and known... Read More

How To Use Your Current Customers

Jay instructed a customer of his to offer a rare... Read More

Customer Service Tips for Mail Order Businesses

Can we be too good to our customers?... Read More

Clients - What They Want from You

A growing number of individuals are finding themselves called to... Read More

Developing A Customer Complaint System

Background The company was experiencing an increase in the number... Read More

What?s in a Name?

Different people call their Customers by different names. If they... Read More

Are You Giving Your Customers Enough Reasons To Return To Your Business?

Good customer service just isn't enough anymore in the marketplace... Read More

Invalid Excuses for Poor Business Results - The Weather

Note to Kmart: It wasn't about the weatherIn the 1970s... Read More

Customer Service For Huge Profits

Customer service is the most vital asset for Business either... Read More

The Art of Giving Great Service

Sales is tough to get right, and depends on retaining... Read More

How To Build a Profitable Business

It's never too soon to start saying thanks to your... Read More