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When it comes to talking to your clients, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ recipe. This is because what is annoying for one client may be appreciated by another client. One client may enjoy talking on the phone, and another may prefer an e-mail. One may want daily updates, and another may find too much interaction infuriating.
Regardless of your business, COVID-19 has likely had some effect on you and your clients so it is important to know how to communicate with them, particularly during this unprecedented time. Effective communication requires understanding the preferred frequency and type of communication your clients want and expect.
How Valuable Are You?
The reality is, if you aren’t all that valuable to your clients, it doesn’t matter how often you talk to them, they will not want to hear from you! Even a monthly e-mail with your newsletter would likely be seen as annoying and a waste of time. On the other hand, if you have tremendous value, you could e-mail your clients multiple times each week and not be annoying. Your communication is something they rely on, on a frequent basis.
So, how do you find out how valuable (or not valuable) you are to your clients? The answer will usually come from your client’s actions, with little effort required on your part. Typically, clients will either ask you to send them more information and updates more frequently, or they will politely request that you stop bombarding them with your e-mails and other communication. This is an indication that you are not very valuable!
If you communicate with clients via e-mail, examine your reports. In particular, you want to see how many of your clients take the time to actually open and read the e-mails you are sending them! This will tell you if the client is absorbing or ignoring you. Another way is to pick up the phone and ask them directly. Of course, you don’t only want to ask about frequency, but also their preferred mode(s) of communication, i.e. whether the client would prefer to receive e-mails, newsletters, a regular telephone call, or updates via social media.
What Platforms Should You Use?
The platforms you use to talk with your clients will vary, depending on what platforms you currently use and what information you are trying to convey. Some considerations are given below:
- Regular communication: For regular communication, it is best to utilise social media, e-mail, mobile phone messages, blogs, and your business’s website. To inform clients of updates on a regular basis, use your social media accounts instead of sending promotional e-mails and push notifications.
- Urgent communication: If your communication is urgent, email and text distribution lists will be the best approach. If your business hours are impacted, perhaps due to COVID-19, it is beneficial for you to update online sources, such as your Google My Business profile, to keep your clients informed.
It is crucial to keep track of all your communications with your clients to ensure your messaging is consistent across your business. Useful tools to track communication include VoIP, Constant Contact, and Mailchimp.
There are situations where face-to-face communication is a better option. This is particularly true if you have a new product or service that you think would benefit your client. The key is to make sure you accommodate the client’s schedule, as they are busy people! After your meeting, make sure you follow up with an e-mail or phone call a few days after the meeting to show your appreciation to your client for meeting with you.
What About ‘Inactive’ Clients?
Like many businesses, it is possible you have some clients who do not currently have anything in the pipeline with you. For example, you may have completed a project with a customer, or the customer has purchased a product or service from you and have not needed to contact you for assistance. You may be wondering what the best approach is with respect to maintaining a relationship with these particular ‘inactive’ clients.
- If it is a client you have had a relationship with for a long time, you should ideally already have some prior indication of their business cycles, specifically, when they require your products or services. So, if you reach out to these clients before you anticipate they need you, it may show them that you are accustomed to their needs. They are likely to appreciate you contacting them.
- If it is a client you have only had a relationship with for a short time, this will possibly be a little more difficult. You do not want to harass the client by calling them too often, but at the same time, you do not want to give them the opportunity to forget about you (and find someone else). In this case, the best approach is to contact them at least once every three months (no more than once per month.)
Knowing how often you should talk to your clients, and through what channel of communication, means you can effectively target your customers more precisely, regularly, and at the right time. This may increase your revenue and save you money in marketing to those clients that are not interested. For some other quick tips about how to run a successful business, visit our website for productivity improvement skills.
Matthew Collins joined ViAGO International in 2018, and spends most of his work day editing content prior to submission for publication. He is passionate about the tools ViAGO International uses to help business owners and managers transform their business ‘from Chaos to Calm.’