Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder…

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder…

by: Janice D. Byer, MVA

However, in the world of business, this cliché may not necessarily be true. Sometimes it can be more like ‘Out of Site, Out of Mind’.

Your existing clients are your most important business assets. They are already aware of the exceptional products or services that you provide and you have already built a trust with them.

These happy clients will be the first to recommend you and your business to others that may be in need of your services or products. It is essential to build a lasting relationship and keep in touch with these influential people…keep your name fresh in their minds. They have become ‘business friends’ and what kind of friend would you be if you didn’t stay in touch.

There are several ways to build a loyal and lasting relationship with your clients, besides the exceptional customer service and support that you are already providing. You need to set yourself apart from the competition and give customers something that will keep your business in the front of their minds, thus producing repeat and referral business.

Your first step is to ensure that you make your client feel like they are number one. This should be something that you strive for with every client you acquire. Sure, there may be some that will take this to heart and put excessive demands on you when you are really needing to get work done for your other clients, but the majority of them will be just like friends and supporters and you need to show them that you appreciate them. You need them to know that they are not just clients, but that they are a value to you and your business.

A great way to get the ball rolling is to send a letter thanking the client for the chance to provide them with a quotation and let them know that you are here to help, if they need it. Include, with the letter, a copy of your brochure, any specials that you currently have running and, of course your business card.

Once the quotation has been accepted and you both agree on the details of the project, it’s time to send a Thank You card. If the new client is a local business owner, send a card with a handwritten note and, of course your business card. If the quote is for an online client, you can send a handwritten note or try going to one of many greeting card sites and sending a personalized electronic card. My personal favorite is http://www.bluemountain.com. This is a nice touch as opposed to just a buttered up email.

After the project has been completed, I like to send a personalized, handwritten note on suitable stationery.

Now… where to go from here? Just because this particular project is finished, it doesn’t mean that you should just put their file away and forget about them. On the contrary… you have to stay in touch with them. If they have used your services and are very happy with the outcome, they will probably need you in the future, or know someone who does.

If you happen to have the client’s birth date, send them a nice card on their special day. If you don’t have that date, there are still other ways to stay in touch. One is to send a card on special holidays, such as Christmas. With these special holiday cards, it is not recommended that you send a business card with it. These type of cards should show that you care and don’t have an ulterior motive to your action.

So, what about the rest of the year? They say that you need to be in the right place at the right time to take advantage of some opportunities. But if you aren’t in the right place, the forefront of you client’s mind when they may need your services, you may lose out. You need to keep in touch with them throughout the year. You need to send them something that they will hang onto.

The most cost effective way to do this is to send them a newsletter. If you have a business that is online and you have cyberspace clients, start an online ezine and send it out on a regular basis. Fill it full of great links and articles to help your clients. And, it doesn’t hurt to mention their business in an issue. For local clients, put together a print version of your newsletter and keep them informed about what is happening with your company and your other clients. Again, putting a free mention about their business will be something that they will really appreciate.

Staying in touch with you clients and contacts is vital for repeat and referral business. When the time comes that they, or someone they know, are in need of your product or service, make sure that they remember you, your business and how you can help them.

About The Author

Janice Byer is a certified Master Virtual Assistant and owner of DocuType Administrative & Web Design Services (http://www.docutype.net). See this and other articles on her website.

[email protected]

This article was posted on December 18, 2002

by Janice D. Byer, MVA

Rules of Thumb for Marketing to Your Past Customer

Rules of Thumb for Marketing to Your Past Customers

by: Joy Gendusa

Keeping in touch can dramatically increase business, when done properly.

It’s a fact that your customers are your best leads. This means that the most likely people to purchase your products and/or services are the ones who have paid for them before. It’s also a fact that it costs far less money to keep a customer than it does to go out and get a new one. These are the two reasons that using direct mail to keep in touch with your customer database is a must. There are a few principles to follow when marketing to contacts in your company database that can maximize your bottom line.

Rule #1 Collect all of their information. It sounds like a nobrainer but you would be surprised. The more information that you have on your customers, the more likely it is that you will be able to get in touch with them to let them know about specials or to remind them it’s time for their next service. Also, don’t neglect to ask for your customersก email addresses, most everyone has one and most will give it up pretty easily.

Rule #2 – Don’t treat your customers like prospects. Make sure when you collect the information in your database you differentiate between people who have placed an order in the past and people who have not. Customers want to feel like you are paying attention to them and when they have placed a few orders with you and are still getting your ก10% for First Time Buyersก postcards they tend to feel unappreciated. Bottom line, if they don’t qualify for an offer you are sending out, don’t send it to them.

Rule #3 – Don’t let your designs get stagnant. When you are mailing to databases of people that you have never spoken to before, it is OK to send them the same postcard multiple times. It helps to increase recognition and will eventually increase your response rate. Dealing with customers and prospects that you have already spoken to (meaning they already know most or all of the details of your business) you need to mix things up a bit. Your mailings should be attention getting and informative. If you have started offering a new service recently, a piece designed to let your database know about it would be a smart move. The main point is to keep your company in the front of their mind and to keep them reading your promotion.

Being great at what you do is not always enough to keep the customers that you have earned. With all of the competition out there today you need to be constantly reminding your customers that you are the best at what you do. Direct mail is the best way to give them that reminder.

Always remember to keep mailings that you send to your database informative, attractive and most of all current. Personalize everything that you can and make sure that what you are sending to a past client actually pertains to them or their company. Anything less and your customer may start to drift, and the only people that are going to be happy when that happens are your competitors.

About The Author

Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998; her only assets a computer and a phone. In 2004 the company did close to $9 million in sales and employs over 60 persons. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy. Now she’s sharing her marketing secrets to others. For more free marketing advice, visit her website at www.postcardmania.com

This article was posted on February 11

by Joy Gendusa

The Magic of KeepinTouch Marketing

The Magic of KeepinTouch Marketing

by: Nancy Jackson

Yesterday I received a phone call from an acquaintance that I’ve met once or twice but haven’t seen in over a year. She wanted to let me know that she was referring me to a client of hers who needed help with his Web site copy. Although I hadn’t thought about her in months, she mentioned that she’d received a postcard from me for the past two quarters — and that’s why she instantly thought of my services when her client voiced his need. Although it wasn’t really magic, it sure felt like it. That’s the magic of keepintouch marketing — people remember you and feel like they know you, and eventually, they often give you business or refer others to you.

Want to develop some ขkeepintouch magicข of your own? It’s easy. You’ve probably got a number of names in your contact database, but when was the last time they heard from you? If you’re like many business owners or marketers, you spend more time looking for new business than keeping in touch with your current and former clients. But nurturing the relationships you already have is crucial to growing a successful business. And finding a way to keep in touch with those contacts on a regular basis is integral for keeping yourself and your business on their minds.

Many of the best methods of ขkeepintouch marketingข involve writing — and that may be why lots of businesspeople don’t do it! But writing doesn’t have to be a chore; just keep in mind that the point is simply to keep in touch, not necessarily to make an immediate sale. If you approach keepintouch marketing as just that, a method of staying in contact with friends and associates, you’ll take the pressure off yourself to craft the perfect sales pitch. And there are a number of methods for keeping in touch, so you can choose the ones that work best for you and your business. Here are a few to think about:

Postcards. As in the example mentioned above, simple postcards can do the trick without investing much time or money. Use them to communicate upcoming sales, new products, or simply to remind people of your services and the value you can offer.

Thankyou notes. More personal and less regular than other forms of keepintouch marketing, the oldfashioned thankyou note can work wonders for your business. I once heard the owner of a successful travel agency say she writes at least one thankyou note every day, and people always remember, often saving her notes for years. Send personal thankyou notes when someone takes you to lunch, gives you a referral, or provides a service that helps you do your job better. Be creative — there are numerous reasons to thank people. You can do the same with congratulations notes.

Newsletters. Electronic newsletters or print newsletters are perfect vehicles for keeping in touch with your clients and prospects. You can use them to provide useful information, industry news and tips, and build an ongoing rapport with your readers at the same time.

Miscellaneous Mailers. Mailers can include anything from an announcement of an upcoming sale to a holiday greeting. A local company that designs diamond link bracelets sends reminders just before Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and other special occasions to those who have bought starter bracelets from them. The clients are reminded of a great gift for the upcoming occasion, and the jewelry company usually gets a lot of business.

Whatever method you use for keeping in touch, keep in mind that your main idea is just to remind people that you’re still around and that you have value to offer. Of course, it’s always important to write correctly and creatively, and to provide your contacts with useful information, but for these projects your main purpose is simply to keep in touch.

Get started, and experience some ขmagicข of your own!

Copyright 2004 Nancy Jackson

About The Author

Nancy Jackson helps businesses sell more products and services with expert copywriting and marketing communications. Her company, The WriteShop, specializes in creating content for newsletters, articles, brochures, Web sites and other communications. For tips on better writing and communications, subscribe to her newsletter, กMarketing Tips from The WriteShop,ก at: http://www.writeshoponline.com.

This article was posted on April 21, 2004

by Nancy Jackson