Client Relationship Building

Do you need help with keeping in touch with past clients without “bugging them”? When working as an isolated freelancer or small business (and where building your business is all on you) there are ways to efficiently and effectively build, strengthen, and grow relationships.

Keeping in touch regularly can be a bit of a conundrum. You want to remind them you exist, but you need to find a balance of being seen and heard and not overdo it. So, you create a newsletter to email clients once a month. I think that’s great…and important…and keeps you relevant, top-of-mind, and also keeps you on your toes. What else can you do to remind them you exist as they are distracted daily … and still forget you exist?

Here are some ideas. And, as an added bonus you’ll have relevant content to share on your social media feeds!

Client Relationship Building Check-list:

1. Visit your clients’ websites and check if they added anything new like a press release, newsletter, blog, or an additional social medium. This is the starting point for relevant communication.
2. Subscribe to their feeds: YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, etc. You may want to receive a notification when they post interesting content.
3. Sign up to their newsletter or blog, if you haven’t already, so you’ll receive relevant info when they publish.
4. Scan all their social feeds and share something noteworthy on your own social media. Keep shares engaging by adding your comments with your post.
5. Check out their blog posts and share on your social media, if you are compelled to do so.
6. Do they have a (recent) press release that is worth mentioning on one of your feeds? Congratulate them on something, tagging them and any relevant content.
7. Google your client’s contact name and congratulate them directly, by email or social media, on anything notable, keeping it simple and professionally appropriate.
8. Go to your “notifications” in LinkedIn and reach out to clients who have something noteworthy, providing a personal comment.
9. Make note of the anniversary of when you first worked together. Schedule in your online calendar with a reminder. Send them an Anniversary email each year.
10. Email clients individually with an article or idea that reminded you of them.
11. Mail a thank you card after you’ve worked together again.
12. Send a general gratitude card anytime.
13. Send an appropriate gift or card at year end, at the New Year, or for a random holiday.

Originally published on the “Work Better, Not Harder” Blog, July 2018