Absence doesn’t make your customers’ hearts grow fonder.
Your clients want to hear from you … really. They don’t want a pitch or even to hear about your services. They want to know what you know.
Many of your clients don’t get out of the office very often. They keep their heads buried in their work, occasionally emerging to sign birthday cards and share giant cookies with co-workers. Meanwhile, you’re out there talking to people—at different companies and across multiple industries—hearing stories about what is working and what isn’t.
Knowledge is power. And your position gives you unique, valuable insights.
That’s what clients want from you—the value of your experience and expertise. They want you to ask questions, share your insights, and help them solve their most pressing problems, which have probably evolved since the last time you connected.
Of course, you’ll never get to hear about their problems or propose your solutions if you drop off the radar until it’s time to renegotiate annual contracts. So when was the last time your clients heard from you?
Hello, Stranger
I’m not the only one spreading this message. Anthony Iannarino’s brilliant post—“When Was the Last Time You …”—poses some eye-opening questions:
When was the last time you met with a brand new prospect face-to-face? Was it more than 7 days ago?
When was the last time you called one of your dream clients to schedule a face-to-face meeting? Was that call made more than 48 hours ago?
When was the last time you nurtured one or more of your dream clients by sharing some insight with them and what medium did you use to share it? Did you do this more than 72 hours ago?
Remind Your Customers You Exist
Your clients want to hear from you! They need to know you haven’t forgotten about them and that you’re working hard to help them meet their business needs. At least every couple months, a phone conversation is in order, and an in-person visit is even better.
Stay in touch, ask questions, and share valuable information. In other words, take care of your clients. If you can’t help with their challenges, they’ll find someone who can.
Time after time I hear, “Joanne, I’m so glad you called. I get mostly email these days, and I can’t keep up.” No one is calling. Want to stand out? Then pick up the damn phone.
I’ll leave you with a final thought-provoking word from Iannarino: “Time is fleeting. Time is not on your side. Absence doesn’t make the heart grow fonder. Absence makes the heart go wander.”
Keep this in mind as we approach the final quarter of 2014. If you want to be top of mind for your clients when they start drafting next year’s budgets, you might want to remind them you exist. [Tweet “If you want to be top of mind for your clients when they start drafting next year’s budgets, you might want to remind them you exist.”]
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Do you have a plan in place to ensure you touch base with clients on a regular basis?
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