Staying in Touch Without Becoming a Pest
Article for APCC newsletter
By Betsy Frick, Plain Language Solutions
August 2002
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Consultants and contractors who work on lengthy projects for one customer can lose touch with other customers. You may be meticulous about staying in touch via “tickler” files, phone calls, and meetings. Or like me, you may tend to let your network go while you are otherwise occupied. Also, your customers may not have time to chat on the phone or meet for lunch when there’s no work to discuss.
What other options are there for staying in touch without becoming a pest? Here are some suggestions that I’ve gathered over my years of being in business for myself.
Send an article of interest. To accomplish this, you have to know what your customer is interested in and what is going on in their lives—hobbies, family, travel, etc. Work-related articles are good, too.
When you do something worth bragging about, do so. When you publish a book or an article, send a notice or a copy of the publication. When you win an award, let your customers know.
“I’ve just been awarded the --------- for the best --------. Thanks for your help in making me a better ---------.”
Develop a person-to-person relationship so that you can send a birthday or anniversary card. A gift for a child’s graduation or wedding might be appropriate, too.
Have good quality note cards made with a place to attach your business card. Send a handwritten note occasionally.
“Just checking my calendar for the rest of the year, and wanted you to know I have some time available to start that project we talked about.”
Send a promotional item to commemorate the anniversary of your business. You can have your business name and logo imprinted on letter openers, ballpoint pens, sticky note pads, and many other products. Specialty advertising companies have catalogs of products for any budget.
Use a postcard to inform your customers of a new email address, Web site, change of address, or other “change” information.
Forward an email funny, such as a joke or one of those lists of humorous things people do. This might be better for colleagues than customers; it depends on the relationship. Don’t ever send anything offensive or destructive. Recently a customer sent me a computer virus joke (We’ve given you this virus, tee hee) and I nearly fainted when I opened the message!
Stay in touch with customers who retire. Meet for breakfast or lunch now and then. You never know when a retiree will refer you to a customer who’s still in business and needs your services.
Send a holiday gift to every customer who has paid you for work in the past year. Better still, deliver the gift yourself. A tin of popcorn isn’t expensive, and makes a nice gift for your customer to share with the department you worked with. Be sure to check on each company’s gift policy; some aren’t allowed to accept gifts of any kind.
Send holiday cards to all of your customers, past, present, and potential. The holiday doesn’t have to be Christmas. Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day are appropriate choices, too.
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