From a business-generation standpoint, what is your most valuable asset? Your telephone? Your computer? Your advertising budget? Maybe it's your dedicated attendance at every networking opportunity in your area? The answer is none of the above.
Your single most important business-building asset is right at your fingertips: your existing client base. There is simply nothing more valuable and powerful for growing your business than the customers you already have.
Taking the time and effort to stay in contact with clients will grow your business through new sales to those clients as well as through referrals to qualified prospects.
We salespeople often think that keeping in touch with past clients takes too much time, effort or money. Considering the return on investment, this really is not true — at least for most of us. The key is finding a way to communicate that is time-efficient, relatively inexpensive and effective.
Studies indicate that in order to keep your name at the top of your clients' minds, you need to "touch" them a minimum of 14 times per year — more if possible.
What is a "touch?" A touch is any communication from you to your client — an email, a phone call, a piece of snail mail, a postcard, a holiday card or an in-person meeting. And what is the most effective way to touch clients? Studies have shown that there is no "best" way. Rather, the most effective client communication programs enlist a number of different methods.
