To Understand, You Have to Be Regular

Understanding What Your Clients Need Requires Regular Interaction

“Just talk to me.” I hate to admit it, but I’ve heard my wife say this a time or two during our marriage. It usually happens when I get busy with work or other projects and kind of take for granted our relationship. Deep down, I think she really likes me, so she pulls me back to reality with, “Just talk to me.”

You might find it interesting to know, it’s possible for your clients to feel the same way. How often do you take time to meet with them? Once a month? Once a quarter? Once a year? Do you remember the last time?

Don’t forget that client relationships are just that… relationships. They require a little attention from time to time. Like any other relationship, if you don’t nurture it, it eventually withers and dies.

How Do I Nurture Client Relationships

It’s not difficult. It’s all about regular communication. Even though every client’s needs are different, and the frequency of your interactions will vary, everyone wants to feel informed and appreciated.

Sometimes, a phone call is all it takes, but a regular, scheduled visit is a must. Depending on the amount of business you do with your client, you may opt to make your regular visit over lunch or dinner. As a salesman, some of my clients were dinner clients, some were lunch clients and some were a box of donut clients. It all depended upon the amount of business they gave me every month.

Some clients volume required me to see them weekly or more, while others I saw every few months. Spend your time where it reaps the greatest rewards or where the potential is the greatest.

Regular Client Visits Create Relationships

Later, I’ll share with you the content of what those meetings should be, but for now, let’s talk about the biggest benefit of those conversations.

This is a secret you aren’t allowed to share. It’s something the big tax firms have apparently forgotten.

Regular visits build relationships. Instead of doing business with ACME Tax Preparation, they’re doing business with John Smith. People enjoy doing business with other people, not big corporations. Any business that forgets that, does so at its peril. Business is personal. (Especially small business.)

It’s a lot harder to say “no” to John and even harder to trust ACME. John knows my name and what I like to do for fun. ACME knows my account number and the dollar amount I spend with them every year. John has a personal relationship with me, to ACME, I’m just an account balance.

The biggest marketing edge you have over the large franchise operations is your ability to make it personal with your clients.

Client Meetings are For Nurturing Relationships, Asking Questions, Learning About Their Needs and Offering Additional Services

Don’t ignore the small talk. Jump right into business and they might as well be working with ACME. Find out about their families, their interests, where they’re from. Keep this information in some kind of filing system. Either in written form or on the computer so you can access it as you prepare for your next client meeting. It’s hard to remember everything about everybody. This is a great salesman’s secret that’s been used for years to keep track of clients.

Ask questions first. Get your clients talking about what they like… and don’t like about your services. If there’s a problem, you don’t want to be the last to know. And, if you don’t know what it is, how can you fix it? Ask questions. Listen. Then respond.

Make sure you validate what they’ve said, then address whatever issues were discussed. Problems don’t spell disaster. It all depends upon how you address them. Taking care of them promptly and efficiently builds relationships that stand the test of time.

Every client interaction isn’t complete until you’ve offered some kind of additional service. If you don’t ask, they’ll never know. Make sure your clients know that you would welcome any additional business from them. You value your relationship with them and would enjoy the opportunity to do more. Most, if not all, clients respond positively to that.

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