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Eight Simple Strategies to Keep-In-Touch and Grow Your Business
By Elizabeth Marshall | March 17, 2007
You’ve probably heard it by now. The Book Yourself Solid Keep-in-Touch Strategy is the most important strategy you will ever use. Not only do you know this to be true but you also know you need to actually use it to grow your business and get booked solid.
There’s one small problem: You don’t know WHAT to say or WHEN to follow up, aside from the usual “Thank You†card. Rest assured that you are not alone. Just this past week, two different clients came to their coaching sessions feeling lost and a bit frustrated that they didn’t have a solid keep-in-touch plan. “I would love to keep in touch if only I knew what exactly to say or how to add value in following up,†one client remarked. Another client put in this way: “I know I need to reach out consistently to build relationships, but I need to be more creative. I can’t just keep calling my colleagues when I want a referral.â€
The more confidence and clarity you have about how to best implement this strategy, the more likely you are to actually use it! Granted, any effort to keep in touch is certainly better than none at all. Chances are good, though, that you will use this strategy even more when you have a plan and some ideas on how to follow up.
To help spark your creativity, here are several great ideas that will help you implement the keep-in-touch strategy:
- Recognize the Success of Others – Send a card congratulating a referral partner or industry leader on their latest successes or awards. To do this, scan the business section of the paper or the Business Journals to stay current and learn of awards given to your colleagues.
- Celebrate Less Popular Holidays – Instead of sending the typical holiday card, decide to send a card for Groundhog’s Day or Halloween. Sending a card on a less popular holiday will ensure that your card will be noticed. Plus, you might get points for creativity!
- Ask “How Can I Be of Service?†– Rather than waiting for the phone to ring, call up a colleague or referral partner to learn specific ways that you may be able to help them. You may be the person who has the exact resource they need for an upcoming project.
- Recommend Valuable Resources – When you find a valuable resource or tool, such as a book, marketing tool, or new business service, this is a great opportunity to reach out to prospects, clients or strategic partners. Send a card with the name of the resource. Not only will you add immediate value in recommending the resource, but you will also build your “likeability†in the process.
- Invite Others To Attend – Attending an association lunch or networking event? Call a referral partner or colleague and invite them to go with you. Not only will you have a chance to build a relationship with this person but you also add value in helping them expand their network and meet new people.
- Say “Thank You†Often – Although this one sounds obvious, have you ever neglected to say “thanks†for a referral, a resource or just a helping hand? When in doubt, it’s always better to say thank you too much than not enough.
- Make Introductions – Send an email or make a phone call to introduce two people in your network who could benefit from knowing one another. For example, you might introduce a real estate agent and a financial planner becuase they might be great referral partners for one another.
- Send a Card “Just Because†– Sometimes you don’t need a reason to follow up, other than to express admiration and appreciation. Send a “Just Because” card to show your interest in developing a business relationship or strategic partnership.
The more you keep in touch, send follow-up cards and emails, and make calls, the more fun you will have in using this strategy and the more success you will experience.
Whoever thought that keeping in touch could be this easy and fun… especially now that you’ve got access to www.bookedsolidcards.com!
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