What can we do to ensure more new and repeat business for ourselves? We can start by making sure our follow-up procedures are solid.
A widely quoted statistic among business people says that it costs five times more to generate a new client than it does to resell an existing client.
But in Practice, I Think We’d Agree That it Seems to Cost a Lot More Than That!
So what can we do to ensure repeat business for ourselves? What methods can and should we use to remain in touch with our clients? Sure, we all intend to provide our customers with great service, but where do we go wrong with our follow-up procedures?
Many People Consider it “Follow Up” to Simply Contact the Client on a Regular Basis to Ask for More Business… But that Approach Can Grow Old Pretty Quickly
That’s why it often helps to build into our business, thoughtful, intelligent follow-up procedures that are designed to benefit, rather than badger or annoy our clients.
For example:
1. Part of the paperwork our salespeople had to submit in order to receive their commission included a copy of the “Thank You” note that they sent to each customer immediately upon receipt of an order. This ensured an immediate customer follow-up that was not only good business but good manners as well!
2. Look for newspaper or trade articles about your client’s type of business. Clip those articles and send them along with a note saying, “Thought you’d want to see this!” It shows you’re interested in what interests them.
3. Get industry success stories (aka “case studies”) from your suppliers, multi-line reps and from industry publications that show how other companies have used promotional products successfully. Adapt these successful ideas to your client’s business. It demonstrates creativity and forethought.
4. Put together a regular e-mail update you can send your clients, which features good, useful information about how to better market their businesses. This will help you to establish yourself as someone who can provide promotional solutions, rather than just trying to sell them something.
Now is a Great Time to Step Back, Take a Deep Breath and Evaluate What’s Working and What’s Not Working as Well in Your Business
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