Face-to-face interactions are a great way to deepen business relationships. While one-on-one meetings are well and good, often it makes sense to organise group events.

(There’s more on that topic here: Discover the 4 different ways in which you can grow customer relationships face-to-face.)

So how should you go about organising group events?

This is something that my consulting clients often ask me; here’s a summary of the best tips I’ve learned over the years…

1. What’s your strategy for the event?

Think carefully: why do you wish to host an event?

• Is it to attract new customers, by giving them a glimpse of what you do? E.g. via a seminar or workshop.
• Is it to reward loyal clients? E.g. by giving them VIP access/information on a hot new product or service.
• Or do you wish to reward loyal clients AND attract new customers? E.g. by allowing your VIP clients to invite a friend along to the event.

It’s important that you consider this reason all the way through your event planning, to ensure that the event will achieve your goals.

2. Will the event be free or is there a price for attendees?

If the event is there to reward loyal clients, it would be rather rude to charge them to come along… unless there is a good reason.

However, if the event is to attract new clients, you need to decide whether to make it free or not. You may think that it must be free, to attract new clients, but “free” has 2  problems:

1. People don’t value free. You’re far more likely to get no-shows and last minute cancellations for free events.
2. Free appeals to the bargain hunters; there’s a good chance you’ll get people there who’ll suck up every piece of information you pass their way… but they flat out refuse to pay for anything. This can mean low conversion rates and low sales.

Sure, if your event is just a sales pitch, then free is appropriate. However, my suggestion would be that you make the content helpful and to charge a fee for attendance. You’ll most likely attract a better calibre of attendee.

Extra tip: In some regions and cultures, such as here in Auckland, it can be really hard to get people to commit to attending an event way in advance. If that’s the case, consider offering a discounted Early Bird price, for people who book by a certain date.

(Of course, it’s not a ‘real’ discount; the Early Bird is your actual price, and the price thereafter is an increased price.)

Here in Auckland, it’s not unusual to see 75% of attendees choosing the Early Bird option, with the remaining 25% booking in a day or two before the event itself. (And events with Early Bird discounts generally sell more tickets than events without Early Bird discounts.)

If you live in a place where prospects are fickle, offering an Early Bird discount can save you a whole lot of stress. At least with your Early Bird sales, you know that a certain number of people will be attending. Imagine if you made all your sales just a day or two before the event? That would be very stressful, and it may even be tempting to cancel the event for the fear that no one will come!

3. Who will you invite?

There’s no point having an event if you’ve got no one to invite! Attendees may come from:

• Your own client or prospect list.
• Strategic alliance partners.
• Clients and prospects of your strategic alliance partners.
• People in your networking groups.

Spending some time and effort on this is vital. I’ve seen too many business owners get enthused about hosting an event, and then get stuck on the “who to invite” part. Get some things happening in this area, before you go any further into organising the actual event.

Consider too the mechanics of the invitation: will it be by email, or by snail mail (e.g. a special printed invite, or a letter)? The format of the invite needs to be appropriate to your objectives for the event.

4. Where will you host the event?

You’ll need a venue to host the event: somewhere budget-friendly but professional. As well as the price of the venue hire, you’ll need to consider:

• Do they provide seating? What’s the capacity? And will the seats be arranged in your preferred layout?
• Will you have sole use of the area?
• Is the venue quiet enough, or are there noise issues to contend with? (It’s surprising how many function rooms have high levels of kitchen noise, or noise from other patrons.)
• Do they provide any audio-visual equipment, or will you need to hire it?
• Can they provide tea, coffee, water, etc. for your guests?
• Is car parking available for your attendees?

5. When will the event be held – and for how long?

The issue of timing can be tricky: should you have your event in the morning? An afternoon? An evening? At a weekend? And should it be 2 or 3 hours, or a whole day?

I’d suggest the following plan of action:

1. Look at what your competitors are doing. If they run successful events, they may have tested and measured different times, so observe and learn from this.
2. Make an educated guess, and shortlist 2 or so different scenarios. Then ask your target profile people what they’d prefer, and why. Go with the general consensus of opinion.
3. After the event, review and analyse how the timing worked out. If you think it wasn’t quite right, try something else the next time, and see how that compares.

All you can do is to take an educated guess, and then test and measure.

6. How will you manage the bookings?

You have two main options for managing the bookings:

1. You could do it all manually, where people have to phone/email you, and you log them on a spreadsheet and get all their contact details. (And then do any follow ups manually as well.) This is very time-consuming.
2. You could use an event booking system, where people register online (and pay online, if there’s a charge). You can then use the online booking system for email or SMS follow-ups. You can also set a maximum number of attendees to prevent over-booking. The system could even handle Early Bird discounts for you. It may even pre-prepare an attendee list or name badges. There may be a small charge for the booking system, but it will save you an immense amount of admin time.

I know which option I’d go for! 😉

7. Sell sell sell!

The easiest way to let people know about your event is to make a website page with all the information, and have a link to the online booking system.

The beauty of the web page is that you can link to it (e.g. from emails, blogs, social media profiles, etc.)… it’s an easy way to make the information accessible. Plus, if you have Google Analytics installed, you can do some measuring around referral sources, conversion rates, etc. This may be invaluable if you’re holding more events in the future.

In some cases, it may also be worth making a flyer (printed or in PDF format) that you can email to people, or hand out at networking meetings.

Whether you choose to go the online route, flyer route, or both, the most important thing is that you promote the WIIFM (“What’s In It For Me” factor). What will attendees get out of it? Why should they give up precious hours in their day to come to your event? You need to make the event as enticing as possible.

8. Promote promote promote!

You’ve now got the nuts and bolts in place, i.e. an online booking system, a web page, and maybe some flyers… but your job does not end there, oh no.

Now you need to promote the event – and promote it hard.

Go back to your list of invitees and go through it… and at least 2 or 3 times:

1. Promote/invite people as soon as you’re ready.
2. Send another reminder before the Early Bird discount finishes.
3. Send another reminder just before the event (if there are still seats left).

Get your strategic alliance partners to do the same, if possible. And use other channels (e.g. networking meetings, social media, etc.) continuously.

Even if it’s an event for VIP clients, follow up with the people who haven’t replied.

Bonus tip: One client I worked with a while ago was totally stressing about (a) no-one showing up; and (b) being over-booked for a VIP client event. She didn’t know what was worse, and was very flustered.

So I got her to draw up 2 invitee lists: the A-list consisted of her very top tier clients, and they were invited first and foremost (and followed up with, to get a definite Yes or No). Once that list was exhausted, the B-list clients were invited, one at a time. This way the client was in total control of the numbers.

The result? Every seat in the room was taken. The evening was fun and a huge success. And my client was very happy… and her clients were talking about the event for months afterwards. Hurrah!

9. Plan and prepare materials for the day

There’s a huge amount of work involved in this section. The materials you’ll need will depend on the event itself. Chances are that a workshop or seminar will require a lot more preparation than fun client events that rewards your VIP customers.

Here are some of the most common things you’ll may need to prepare; just pick and choose whatever’s appropriate to you:

• Signage: Print out some signs that you can stick up with BluTak so that your attendees will know exactly where to go. It’s annoying for people to arrive at an unknown building and not know where to go. Make it easy for your attendees to find the function room, especially if it’s tucked away.
• Registration sheet: So that you can mark attendees as they arrive. That way you’ll know if everyone’s there who signed up… or if there are no-shows. If you have someone helping you on the day, get them to do this, while you make sure that everything else is set up and ready to go. (Because if you’re stuck at the front desk, you’ll be fretting about the computer and overhead projector not being set up yet.)
• Name badges or stickers: Yes you may feel dumb wearing them or dishing them out… but by gosh it’ll help attendees mingle more easily!
• Run sheet with timing: This is particularly important if there’s more than one speaker.
• PowerPoint presentation: make sure it’s an interesting one, and not dull or information overload.
• Email newsletter sign-up forms: so that you can follow up with prospects).
• Feedback forms: these are vital for seminars and workshops. Make sure that you write these in a way that’ll let you get Testimonials that you can use in your marketing (with permission from the attendee).
• Things to sell there and then: This could involve products, services, special packages, special offers… whatever you choose. Make it easy for people to buy. You may need to prepare order forms. And be prepared to accept payments there and then – so you may need to organise a credit card machine.
• Take-home kits and goodie bags: These may contain marketing materials, a brochure, a copy of presentation slides, branded goods or fun gifts.
• Presentation tools and stationery: This may include: laptop computer, power cable for the laptop computer, USB stick with your presentation on it (in your computer decides to malfunction, and someone else has a computer you can borrow – this may sound extreme but it’s happened to me!), projector, projector screen, a table for the computer and projector to stand on, remote clicker, iPod, speakers, microphone, electrical extension lead, electrical multibox (ideally one that’s surge protected – that’s another lesson I learned the hard way!), flip chart stand, flip chart pad, flip chart pens, pens for attendees, note pads for attendees, props, a clock to keep you on time, BluTak, camera, etc.
• Food and drink: My motto is that “everything is better with food”… provided it’s good food. If I’m hungry, I get grumpy (as do most people). You don’t want grumpy attendees at your event. So keep them adequately fed and watered.

10. Can you leverage the event?

Oooh, ‘leverage’, what’s that?

Basically, this is about using the event in some other way later, and would mean recording the audio and/or video.

Some ideas include:

• Provide a video recording of the event to your VIP clients who couldn’t make it. Either as a DVD or a link to where they can watch the website online.
• Use a video or audio recording as a Bonus for your customers, e.g. on a special members-only section of your website.
• Use a video recording as a sales tool on your website.
• Record video testimonials at the event.

If you think that would help your business, make arrangements well in advance.

You’ll also need a form that each participant must sign on the day, confirming that they give their consent for this indefinitely and without limitation. (Be sure to check they’ve signed the form, as you go round collecting them.)

11. Remember the reminders

Don’t assume that everyone who’s booked will turn up… follow up with the attendees.

I’d suggest emailing all the attendees with confirmation details a day or two before the event, complete with parking information, so they know exactly where to go.

An SMS (text message) reminder on the day itself is a good idea too.

12. Keep to time at the event

This sounds so obvious, but it’s so important… if you don’t stick to time, and don’t cover all the material, it will be difficult for your event to meet its strategic objectives.

So manage your time well and stick to the run sheet. Don’t let the participants take control away (well, not for too long)… you’re in charge.

A friend of mine recommends putting an easy-to-read alarm clock on the table in front of you, so that you can always see it. This is a great idea, and your attendees won’t even notice that you’re keeping such a close eye on the time.

Also, an extra pair of hands on the day will be helpful. If you try and do everything yourself (presenting, AND setting up the room, AND handing round forms, AND recording video testimonials, AND setting up the refreshments, etc. etc.) you will struggle. Make sure you have at least one other person engaged to help you.

If the objective of the event is to make sales, by all means ensure that there is enough time for this! I’ve seen it too many times where people meander through their presentation, and then their sales pitch is rushed.

Do not over-run your time. You will severely annoy your attendees, and it’s disrespectful to them. So let’s not go there!

13. Follow up and follow up some more…

This is another area where business owners fall down time after time: either there are no follow-ups, or they’re not done well, or they’re left so late that the attendees have cooled off completely.

To get around that, have your follow ups prepared well before the event itself, so that you can implement them right away.

If it’s a fun VIP event, thank your clients for coming. It’s polite and classy to do so. Whether you do that by phone, email or snail mail is up to you… whatever is relevant.

For sales-oriented events, the follow-ups need to be more extensive. I’d suggest:

1. Emailing some value-added information right away to all attendees; AND:
2. Following up right away with the people who bought from you on the night. Thank them for their purchase, and tell them that you’re there to help them if they have any questions. You can do this by phone or email – or both. AND:
3. Following up each attendee who didn’t buy on the night with a phone call. Have a really good sales script ready, so that you stand the best possible chance of converting them. If they’re reluctant to buy, ask some questions to find out why. If you’re not comfortable with doing this yourself (e.g. I get the heebie-jeebies at the thought of doing that), consider engaging a telesales professional to do that for you. If they’re any good, the learnings will be invaluable – and you may just get a sale out of it!

14. Review and analyse

Now that all the hard work is out of the way, what did you learn from the experience?

Did the event meet your strategic objectives?

Would you consider running a similar event again? What changes would you make?

I’ve met many business owners who are so enthused about running client events, that they don’t sit back and take stock. I’d strongly recommend that you complete this full cycle before planning any more events.

For example, common issues are around the venue, pricing, promotion or timing. Or maybe the business owner forgot about the strategic objectives somewhere along the track. It’s best to take a step back and remedy these things.

After all, organising client events takes a good amount of time, money and energy… so make sure you get the best possible return from them.

Summary

When planning events, consider:

1. What’s your strategy for the event?
2. Will the event be free or is there a price for attendees?
3. Who will you invite?
4. Where will you host the event?
5. When will the event be held – and for how long?
6. How will you manage the bookings?
7. Sell sell sell!
8. Promote promote promote!
9. Plan and prepare materials for the day
10. Can you leverage the event?
11. Remember the reminders
12. Keep to time at the event
13. Follow up and follow up some more…
14. Review and analyse

Sending things in the mail seems so quaint and old-fashioned now.. so retro! In the age of instant electronic communications, going to the effort of assembling a piece of paper, an envelope and a postage stamp – and then a mail box to post it – just seems like soooo much effort sometimes.

Little wonder that every so often news headlines appear, telling us of post office closures. This has been a news topic in many countries (New Zealand, United Kingdom, US, Switzerland, and more) for a number of years now.

So why send things in the mail? Is it just to keep the post offices open?

The reason why it’s worth mailing things to your customers is because you get noticed. It’s because very few people to bother assembling paper, envelope and postage.

Or if you do get something in the mail, it’s probably an invoice, or a notification from your power supplier of a price increase. Or junk mail. Most of the stuff we get in the mail these days is either boring or negative.

How different things were when I was a kid!

When I was a kid, emptying the mail box at home was my favourite job.

Why? Well, every now and again I’d receive fun stuff! Maybe a postcard from a relative, or a letter from my French pen friend.

To me, the mail box was an item full of anticipation, excitement and fun.

My childish fascination with snail mail lives on…

I love sharing the fun of getting something nice in the mail. It’s so rare to get something positive and uplifting in the mail these days – especially in a business capacity. So when you do, it really gets noticed.

And not just that, but it’s also incredibly easy and cheap to do.

Can you think of a cheaper and easier way to add the “wow” factor?

Sure, emails are cheap (and as we’ve already covered, I really rate email marketing as a customer retention tool). But it just doesn’t have the same “wow” factor as a nice goodie in the mail. Ditto the telephone… also a cool tool for customer retention, but often a conversation is forgotten as soon as the phone’s hung up.

But with snail mail, you have the opportunity to put something real and enduring (and fun and positive) into the recipient’s hands.

What kind of things can you send via snail mail to help with your customer retention?

The only limit as to what you can send is your imagination! Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Printed newsletters

Email newsletters are cheaper to send, but for some industries (especially if your customer base is older), physically sending the articles works really well.

The key is to make it easy to manage, and to keep the costs reasonable. The coolest solution I’ve seen is a postcard that’s a newsletter. Yep, it’s a custom-printed postcard with a short article or tip, and it does the job. You could have pre-paid postage printed on it, and get your printer to do a mail merge. That way your admin time is minimal, as there’s no envelope stuffing or labelling to do. Neat, effective and easy!

2. Postcards

Speaking of postcards, these are very versatile. You could send special offers, reminders, seasonal greetings… whatever you like.

My tip here would be to invest in some fab graphic design, to give your postcard the “wow” factor so it stands out. You want it to look compelling – and not like junk mail!

3. Thank you cards

Everyone likes to feel appreciated, so a thank you card is a nice gesture. Yes, it’s old-fashioned, but, as the saying goes, “manners maketh man” (or woman). Sending a thank you card is a classy touch that will elevate you far above your competitors.

This is a topic that I love, so I’ve written a separate article all about how to get the most from sending business thank you cards.

4. Seasonal cards

Seasonal holidays are a great excuse to send something nice to your customers and strategic alliance partners.

Christmas is the obvious holiday of choice… but you don’t have to do that, especially if you don’t observe religious holidays.

A graphic design colleague of mine sends Thanksgiving Cards – and that really gets noticed, because Thanksgiving isn’t observed in New Zealand!

You can find any excuse for a holiday; it could even be something related to your industry… there are plenty of silly, bizarre and whacky occasions to choose from, so you can choose whatever slots neatly into your marketing calendar. For example:

• 23 February: International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day
• 1 April: International Fun At Work Day
• 14 April: International Moment of Laughter Day
• 18 April: International Jugglers’ Day (also applies to multi-tasking office workers)
• 30 April: Hairstyle Appreciation Day
• 12 May: International Nurses’ Day
• 26 June: Beauticians’ Day
• 19 September: International Talk Like A Pirate Day

That’s just for starters, you’ll find plenty more weird and wonderful holidays here: http://holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/index.htm

5. Gifts

Yeahhhh… presents! Who doesn’t like presents?!

Sending a prezzie of some kind adds an extra feel-good factor… and it can be easy and cost-effective. Especially if you choose something that can fit into a standard envelope. It could be a custom-printed corporate gift, such as a pen, notepad, pack of mints or sweets.

I’ve known other people to send packets of flower or vegetable seeds, magnets… or my personal favourite, chocolate! (Swiss, of course!)

You could also send gifts on dates that are important to your customers. For example, if a VIP client has just gotten married or had a baby, it’s often appropriate to send them a gift. Or a female VIP client will always be delighted by receiving a bouquet of flowers on their birthday.

Again, your only limit is your imagination as to what you can easily implement within your budget.

Just ensure that your gift is of value to your recipient (no point sending something that isn’t going to be appreciated), and is of an appropriate level of quality to match your business.

6. Reminders

Oh, this seems so dull a topic compared to gifts, but reminders sent in the mail are an important customer retention technique for many businesses. Especially the kinds of business where customers need to see you at set intervals, but they’re infrequent. I’m thinking of things like car servicing and dental check-ups, or booster vaccinations for pets.

Sure, sometimes it makes sense to send these reminders via email or SMS (text message), but depending on your business type and customer profile, snail mail can sometimes be more effective. You’ll need to test and measure the solution that’s best for your business.

Remember to send snail mail to your strategic alliance partners!

It’s just as important to thank your strategic alliance partners as it is your customers… if not more so. Strategic alliance partners can be your marketing goldmine, so make sure that they feel valued, appreciated and communicated with. (Don’t let your competitors lure them away, just because you haven’t stayed in touch!)

Summary

• Because so few people send goodies in the mail, you’ll stand out and get noticed when you use this as part of your customer retention campaigns.
• Snail mail is a cost-effective way to give your customers the “wow” factor.
• Things to you can send via mail to help with your customer retention include:
  • Printed newsletters
  • Postcards
  • Thank you cards
  • Seasonal cards
  • Gifts
  • Reminders
• Remember to include strategic alliance partners on your mailing list, as well as your customers.

 

Have you seen photos of those strange-looking stealth jets? You know the ones I mean… they look like one parent was a triangle and the other parent was a square.

These stealth jets travel at super fast speeds (550mph – that’s 890km/h) and they interfere with radar technology to avoid detection to complete their missions…. Whoooosh!

Telephones are much like stealth jets in customer retention

Eh? How can the telephone (developed in the mid 1870s) be like a stealth jet?

It’s because as a marketing tool, the telephone is a little ‘under the radar’. You can communicate directly with your customer – and in a way that new suppliers may not be able to do. They may have to get past their assistant or other gatekeeper first. And, of course, telephone conversations are instant: usually quicker than email, and certainly quicker than a fax, snail mail or face-to-face meeting.

Best of all, phone calls can make an enduring impression – and help you make those sought-after repeat sales.

There are lots of ways you can use the phone to keep in touch with your customers

You could make a call to your clients in a number of ways that’ll help them climb the magic beanstalk of customer loyalty and grow your customer retention rates:

• Touch base to see if there’s anything you can help them with.
• Ask them if they have any questions on a recent job you did for them. (Or if they received their shipment OK.) This is what I call a ‘courtesy call’.
• Pass on some hot industry news that no-one else is privy to.
• Arrange a meeting with them.
• Ask for a sale – or a sales meeting.
• Ask them for feedback or a testimonial.

Let’s look at two of those calls in more detail, and I’ll also share some scripts you can use on these customer retention calls. (I find that many people like the idea of making these kinds of calls, but don’t know what to say on the phone. I know that I get tongue-tied on the phone, so having something written out in front of you can be a good idea.)

1. Courtesy calls: how they work

This is when you call a client who’s recently bought from you (a day or two ago), and you phone to see how they’re getting on. These kinds of calls are so rarely done, that they really make a positive, enduring impression.

For example, several years ago I had a totally new hairstyle. And the receptionist from the hair salon phoned up to see if I was managing my new hairstyle okay. (Yes, this took place many years ago, and I still remember the phone call!)

The same approach can be taken by any business owner: whether you’re selling products or services, a courtesy call will always be appreciated. That way, if there are any issues, you have the opportunity to put them right before issues escalate. You’ll be seen as helpful, proactive and customer-focused. Will that help you get repeat sales? Very likely.

The important thing here is that the person making the call must have the skills or knowledge to deal with any issues that may arise. Unfortunately with the hairdresser example, I did have a question, and the receptionist wasn’t able to answer my question – and my stylist wasn’t on hand to help. So that ruined the effect of the courtesy call: having knowledgeable, helpful people with the authority to deal with matters is vital!

Scripts for courtesy calls

Making this kind of customer retention-focused call is a breeze! Here’s courtesy call script you can use as a starting point:

“Hi, it’s Wilma from ABC Company. This is just a quick call to find out how you’re enjoying XYZ Product/Service you bought from us recently?”

Hint: if the call goes well, ask the client if they’d be happy to give you a testimonial. Offer to write the comments up in email for them to approve, so it’s nice and easy for them. If the client’s happy with your product or service, they’ll say “yes” 99% of the time.

What about if you get voicemail? It can be tempting to hang up, but seeing as you’ve already dialled the number, finish what you started. You could leave a message along the lines of:

“Hi Fred, it’s Wilma from ABC Company. We like to add value and stay in touch with our clients. This is a quick courtesy call to make sure you’re still enjoying XYZ Product/Service you bought from us. If I can be of any further help, please call me on 123-456789. Thanks again for being a client, and please do call me, Wilma, if you need any further help.”

2. Sales calls: how they work – without being sleazy

Whereas courtesy calls are a soft approach, sales phone calls are more to the point.

However, that doesn’t mean they have to be blatant or sleazy. You can still take a customer service angle with the call, so that you position the call as a benefit to the customer, rather than as obviously angling for business.

A client with a dog grooming business does this very well. Just to give you a bit of background on dog grooming: the types of dogs that need hair cuts need it re-done every month or two. Dog hair grows rapidly and can form painful mats if it’s not kept trimmed.

So this client will look through their list of clients from four weeks ago, and will give them a call along the lines of:

“Hi Betty, it’s Wilma from ABC Dog Grooming. It’s been a while since we’ve had little Fluffy in for her groom. Would you like to make another appointment for her?”

More than 80% of clients say “yes” there and then – and then thank the business for making the call. The clients tend to say that they had been meaning to make a booking, but got too busy.

The clients that don’t book while on the phone often don’t have their diaries in front of them, and most of them call back later, also happy that their memory has been jogged. What a great way for the dog grooming business to keep their work schedule full – and at minimal cost! They can do this just by making consistent phone calls… and the clients are grateful for them.

Hint: the script above works well for the dog grooming business. You may need to test and measure different scripts to see what works best for you. For example, instead of asking “would you” (a closed question, that invites only a “yes” or “no” answer), you could change this to “when would you” (an open question). You’ll need to see what’s best for your specific scenario.

We all have things on our To Do list we never get round to

This approach works great for the dog grooming business, but it can work equally well for car mechanics, dentists, beauticians… all those things we need to do (or intend to do) on a regular basis, but don’t get round to.

Those examples are all B2C (business to consumer), but it can work just as well for B2B (business to business). You just need to put your thinking cap on.

What’s more, these calls work equally well for products as for services. When you sell a product, you have a reasonably good idea how long it will last the customer before they need to re-purchase. So give them a call before they run out!

A client of mine who is a wine merchant does very well with this. He gets in touch every so often asking if I need more wine. I’ve said “yes” nearly every time – just because he was asking. He made it easy for me to buy from him, especially because he delivers the wine to my home as part of his service.

So don’t think of these sales calls as sleazy: they’re an essential part of your service to your client.

Imagine if you didn’t make these calls to your clients

If you don’t phone your clients consistently, that’s dangerous. You’re leaving the door wide open for your competitors to swoop in. All they need to do is call your client at the right time, and you could potentially lose that customer. Remember, customers value service and things being easy to buy. So if your competitor does these things better than you, you’re in a danger zone.

But if you do make the calls, they are more likely to buy from you, thus boosting your customer retention rates. And if you’re providing this great service, it’ll help your clients to climb the magic beanstalk of loyalty too.

The same applies to your strategic alliance partners

It’s equally important to call your strategic alliance partners on a regular basis, or again, a competitor might pounce at the opportunity to work with them. This is even more of a danger zone, as you’re not just jeopardising one sale, but a whole series of referrals.

How to avoid the danger zone

How do we get out of that danger zone? You whisk out your stealth jet (a.k.a. telephone) and get that instant connection with your customer… and regularly!

It’s all too easy to get bogged down with work and admin and the million-and-one other things we have to do each day, and push the phone calls to the bottom of the list. You need to get proactive and schedule time each day (or each week) to make those calls.

In fact, you should block out this time in your diary as if it were a face-to-face appointment with a client. After all, it is a one-on-one client meeting, and just because it’s not a physical, in-person meeting, doesn’t mean it’s any less important.

Remember: keep your stealth jet on standby; you’ll need it regularly!

Summary:

• Phoning your customers regularly is essential because:
  • You get to connect with them instantly.
  • It’s a one-on-one communication medium, so you get their full attention.
• Courtesy calls are easy to make, and an excellent customer service tool. They let you fix problems before they escalate, and can also let you gather testimonials.
• Sales calls can be positioned as customer service calls, and this is probably the most effective way of getting repeat business bar none.
• If you don’t call your clients regularly, you’re leaving the door open for your competitors to swoop in steal your customer.
• Schedule regular calls with your key clients on a daily or weekly basis. Block this time out in your diary.
• Also schedule regular calls with your strategic alliance partners – and again, block out this time in your calendar.

 

PS. Telephones these days can do so much more than just voice communications: SMS (text) messaging and smart phone apps are other options. But that’s beyond the scope of this particular article. I will cover those technologies in the new eBook I’m working on, Part 2 of The Leaky Bathtub. That’s due to be launched early 2013… watch this space!