Keep in touch and create top of the mind thinking…
Us humans, on the whole, are social creatures by nature. So, why not extend this quality to our business relationships?
What will you achieve from building strong business relationships I wonder?
How about increased sales, repeat business, referrals, lifetime custom – SUCCESS & PROFIT!
So, let’s look at what you should be doing to keep in touch with your existing customers and, indeed, a little about what you shouldn’t!
One-off Sales
This is the extent of it more often than not. But it really doesn’t have to be. You’ve done the hard work in gaining enough trust from your customer to have them hand over their hard earned cash once. Why leave it at that?
Your aim should be to create a lifetime relationship with each and every customer. So do it!
Stay interested in your customer’s business. You could follow them on Twitter or maybe set up a Google Alert to keep yourself well informed. In doing so, you won’t miss any opportunity to get in touch with them. Furthermore, what a great impression you’d create – I wonder how many of your competitors know all about their customer’s business?!
Always, take time to ‘get in touch’. Send a regular Ezine or Newsletter packed with useful information. Pick up the phone, call your customer out of courtesy and ask them how business is going. Be different, surprise them with a Greeting Card – how many of your competitors are doing that?
Blimey, I can feel the love building already!!! One-off sales are most definitely a thing of the past!
Too Much Information
Whilst it is vital to keep in touch with your customers, it’s also really important that you don’t bombard them with so much information that you have them running for the hills!
Concentrate first on building a relationship to gain trust and get your customer interested in what you have to offer.
You can do this by offering useful Articles that will benefit them and their business. A Blog is also and excellent way to do this. You have the added advantage of allowing people to comment, add their knowledge and really get involved. This can be a great community/relationship building strategy!
Treat Your Customers like they’re the only one you have
Your customers will relish personal service! This will certainly be welcomed and in this day and age and can be quite refreshing.
So, bear in mind:
– What would be your customer’s preference in terms of staying in touch with your business?
– What is of interest to your customer?
– When and how often you should be in touch with your customer?
This goes back to the importance of knowing and continuously monitoring your target audience, as well as testing, tracking and analysing your marketing communications.
Deliver & Communicate
Remember, your aim is to build and maintain this rock solid business relationship – you know, increase your sales, gain repeat business, pull in those referrals,virtual roundtables keep that customer for life… So, tell your customer what you’re going to do, do what you say you’re going to do and do it when you say you’re going to do it!
Excellent communication is key at any given stage, whether communicating through your marketing or at the sales juncture. You want to ooze credibility and concentrate on building and maintaining trust.
Of course there are times when things might go wrong… Excellent communication is even higher on the agenda at times like this. Keeping your customer well informed, avoiding the ‘silent treatment’ will redress the balance and protect your relationship.
Reward your customers
Reward frequent customers and let them know that you appreciate their business. Acknowledge each individual with something that appears bespoke to them rather than say a widespread ‘sale’ for everyone – make your frequent customers feel special.
Personally Corporate often takes on projects to do just this. A handwritten greeting card with a monetary value voucher inserted to compliment it really does the trick. Feedback from my customer’s verifies that their customer’s feel valued and this does great things for their business! The idea of a voucher to spend with your business work well as you have connected emotionally through sending the card, the customer wants to redeem their voucher and often spends way more than its value! So, what are you doing to keep in touch with your customers, to create top of the mind thinking? Are you focussing sufficient effort to build and maintain your legacy, that strong, valuable business relationship?
