It’s time to ask yourself a question: Have you done everything possible to stay top of mind with your clients? Or are you still waiting until you “have enough time” to nurture those relationships?
News flash: There will never be a perfect time to start becoming more relevant. But by blocking out just two hours, you can complete six months of work and be well on your way to engaging clients and prospects every step of the way.
Here are some quick action items you can jump on right now to salvage your year:
Get Into a Client Touchpoint Rhythm
Every company needs a plan to consistently engage prospects and clients. Touchpoints can be as simple as an email saying hello or a nice dinner out. Either way, you need to start getting on your audience’s radar now.
For many companies we work with, the number of times they connect with a client equates to the strength of their relationship. And the stronger the relationship, the harder it is for clients to leave. Think about it: Are you more likely to leave a vendor if it engages with you regularly or if it only engages with you when your bill is past due?
Develop a rhythm for engaging your clients weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly, and you will see client retention soar. At goBRANDgo!, our follow-ups look something like this:
- Daily: We update clients on their projects daily through notifications from our project management system.
- Weekly: A team member calls clients at a preset time each week to talk through open action items.
- Monthly: We meet clients in person at least once a month to review what we have accomplished and how work is progressing.
- Quarterly: Each quarter, we take our clients to lunch or drinks.
- Yearly: Every year, we invite clients to dinner or a large event. We also give gifts once a year but at a separate time.
Your clients need to know you care about them. And the only way to show you care is to, well, show you care!
Commit to Social Media
I might be alone on this, but I’ve found that consistency is more important than quality when it comes to social media. That doesn’t mean you should publish junk, but it does mean you shouldn’t wait six months until your blog post is perfect.
Consider this: Even if your target audience doesn’t read your posts, isn’t it better to show up in their feed? Your competitors are showing up, so don’t lose out on the opportunity to stay top of mind.
Many years ago, I learned about the SEO importance that Google places on relevant content. It made sense. If you have a website or social platform but haven’t updated it in two years, what does a search engine think? The answer: That you haven’t changed or learned anything in two years.
How does that company look to search engines compared to one that regularly publishes unique content packed with industry insights? You guessed it — the company that is publishing regularly is much more credible. People think the same way. That’s the driving idea behind becoming a thought leader, after all. Thought leaders are the people who regularly comment on their industries.
Beef Up Your LinkedIn Profile
Consider what you’ve accomplished since creating your LinkedIn profile five years ago: Have you written new articles? Received any new awards? Gained more responsibility in your career? Chances are you’re much more experienced and established than you were a couple years ago.
An outdated profile is an immediate red flag to someone looking to do business with you. Who would you hire — a thriving expert or someone with a thin track record? Exactly. So take the time to log in and complete the following steps:
1. Complete your profile. Just follow LinkedIn’s Help Center guide, which offers straightforward explanations for what to include and where.
2. Connect LinkedIn to your email provider. This allows you to pull contacts from your email and send invitations to connect. Trust me; it’s worth it.
3. Update your picture. Choose a fun photo, but, most importantly, make sure it’s quality. The dark suit or cellphone on your ear is outdated. Just don’t go overboard; you’re still a professional, after all.
4. Don’t be wary of strangers. While you can deny spam requests, it’s a good idea to keep an open mind. Accepting people you might not know could lead to potential opportunities down the road.
5. Capitalize on recommendations. Pay attention to LinkedIn recommendations, and invite at least 100 people you know to grow their networks and keep connections informed.
6. Endorse! Start by endorsing people in your network. Just watch — you’ll get some back!
Congratulations! You’ve just completed months of work in just a couple hours. Your next step is to stay committed to your client engagement and content strategy.
Block out an hour on your calendar each week to do these key things: Connect with your clients, stay present on social media, maintain your LinkedIn profile, and stay updated with connections.
If you follow this formula, you can start generating new leads from existing clients along with people you have never met before. These steps are simple, but if you run into any issues, just drop me a line at bdempsey@goBRANDgo.com.
For more ways to build better relationships and stay top of mind with your audience, order your copy of "Top of Mind" today:
