Five Ways to Stay Connected With Customers and Prospects

“Out of sight, out of mind.”  If you don’t see or hear from someone for a period of time you simply stop thinking about them and so I ask you, is that what you wish to have happen with your customers and prospects? I thought not.

It takes a considerable amount of time and money to woo and win new clients. How sad to let the relationship dwindle away.

More than ever and in the face of intense competition for business it’s critically important to stay on the grid and to do so in a strategic and intelligent manner. Simply reaching out with the occasional “check in” is not adding any value to the customer or prospect and hence this type of “touch point” can actually do more harm than good.

Here’s how to stay connected with your customers and prospects so that you can win and keep their business:

1. Be known as a “connector” and make proactive introductions between your clients, vendors, prospects, networking contacts and referral sources. Everyone appreciates a thoughtful introduction and you will be adding value to both parties included in the introduction.

2. Send handwritten notes and if possible include an article of interest that you found in a print publication. The article doesn’t have to pertain to the prospect’s or client’s specific business but should be on a topic that you know would catch their attention.

3. Invite customers and prospects to certain events that they would find beneficial or even better, “create” an event by yourself. Organizing a small dinner of like-minded business people is a terrific way to help your customers or prospects and expand your contacts as well.

4. Make it a point to know important “dates” and recognize these dates by sending a card. Your client or prospect’s birthday, the anniversary date of when they started the business or when they joined the company and holiday cards (especially when it is a “minor” holiday and your card won’t be competing with scores of others) are good ways to get and maintain their attention.

5. Promotional products can help you to stay top of mind and should be selected carefully and with due attention to your brand.

And even though I said I’d provide five tips, here’s a sixth that I consider to be very important especially in this time of email overload and a dependence on digital communication. Pick up the phone every day and call three, four or five of your best customers and prospects. Yes, call them. This old- fashioned touch point will resonate loud and clear and will truly help you to stay connected.

Staying on the grid just got easier, right?