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.

---

Is Your Food Establishment Clean?

Is your restaurant, bar or hotel clean? I mean really... Read More

Customers - Hold Onto the Ones Youve Got

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

Hit The Jackpot With Customer Complaints

Our most powerful instinct is to avoid customer complaints, but... Read More

Customer First Customer Service

The world of customer service is rapidly changing. Thirty years... Read More

Customer Satisfaction and the Service Business

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

Customer Loyalty

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

Why Communication Skills Dont Work In Customer Service

Every time my firm conducts communication skills training, we know... Read More

Customer Feedback: Everyone has an Opinion - USE IT!

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

Carpet Cleaning in Surrey

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

Doesnt Anybody Work Here? Nametags Impact Employee Communication

Walmart was the first business to require all its employees... Read More

Complaining Consumers

The salesman's job is to be well informed; extremely well... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Learn from the Complaints of Customers and Employees

Listening to complaints, whether they're reasonable or not, is a... Read More

And The Difference is... Attitude

I returned a rental car at an airport yesterday. As... Read More

At Your Service: The Ten Commandments of Great Customer Service!

Customer service is an integral part of our job and... Read More

Passing the After-Sales Test

Some time ago a major UK food retailer decided to... Read More

Identify Your Silent Customer Service Message

With the growing number of people in every business sector,... Read More

The 7 Principles of Business Integrity

If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't... Read More

We Got It Wrong: Never Under Promise & Over Deliver

You know how it is, you believe something for so... Read More

Becoming A Solution To Your Customers Problems

Those of us in home based and small businesses are... Read More

How to Win the Hearts of Your Customers and Friends

Those of us doing business over the internet have to... Read More

The Added Value - Is YOU!

If there was a restaurant in your town that was... Read More

Customer Neglect

What have you done for your existing customers lately? Probably... Read More

What To Do When Youve Blown It

It's bound to happen sooner or later ? yes, even... Read More

What?s in a Name?

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

4 Easy Steps to Better Online Customer Support

Customer support is very important when you're running a business,... Read More

Does Your Customer Talk Back To You?

What is your customer saying about you? Do you really... Read More

Courting Customers - From First Date to Marriage

Landing a new client is like courting a potential spouse.... Read More

Importance of Good Customer Support in Online Computer Peripherals Shops

Looking for hi-fi computer peripherals? Finding it tough to decide... Read More

The Consumer Power

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

Get Customers to Stop Calling You--12 Easy Ways to Save Money with Online Customer Support

Despite rumors to the contrary, the Web is not dead.... Read More

What Every Employee Should Know About How to Prevent Customer Service Conflicts

There are five techniques that have been proven to be... Read More

How To Build a Profitable Business

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

Under Promise & Over Perform: The Art of Managing Customer Expectations

I'll always feel warmly about Conrad's restaurant, in Glendale, California.On... Read More