10 Keep In Touch Card Marketing Secrets

10 Keep in Touch Card Marketing Secrets

by Kristie Rimmele

Who is waiting to hear from you? When's the last time you wrote a customer to tell them how much you appreciate them? Keeping in touch with your customers is key to creating trust and loyalty. That's why It's critical to have a system in place to cultivate relationships of your current customers and well as with prospects.

Keeping in touch with customers helps you stay top of mind so that when they are ready to do business, they remember that you are there to help. Handwritten greeting cards with a personal message that shows appreciation and build rapport. Whether you send holiday cards, thank you cards, even birthday cards, regular notes makes your customers more likely to think of you first.

Everyone wants to buy, but no one wants to be sold. If you are sending a card, brochure, or marketing piece and don't truly have your customer's best interest at heart, they will see right through it. That's why many of the flyers, brochures, and marketing materials we send go straight in the garbage when customers receive it. What they want is valuable information and to know that they are appreciated. When you build a relationship with someone, it's much less likely someone woo your customer away by offering them a better price.

While networking is important, so is building those relationships. You are much more likely to do business with someone you know and built a relationship with rather than a cold prospect. That's why it's so important to have a system in place to foster the relationships with the people in your network.

Everyone has a sphere of influence of about 250 people. Imagine what would happen to your business if you focused on staying connected to this network. When it comes time for those people to buy what you sell, who do you think these people will think of first? Keep in touch marketing helps you achieve top of mind awareness and establish better relationships with the people in your network.

10 keep in touch marketing tips:

1) Follow Up - Follow up promptly after meetings. Let people know that it was nice to meet them. That you enjoyed learning about their business. Thank them for their time.

2) Stay in in touch with notes and cards to prospects at regular intervals – frequently - at least 4-6 times a year.

3) Send unexpected cards. There's a lot of power in sending a card to someone just to let them know you were thinking about them.

4) Remember to say thanks. Thank customers when they buy from you. Thank those who give you referrals. Thank people who give generously of their time and effort. Say thanks when people give you their time for an appointment. Thank the media when they do a story on you. And say thank you when someone gives you really exceptional service.

5) Re ignite relationships. If you haven't heard from a customer in a while, let them know that you miss them and wanted to see how they are doing and if you can help.

6) Celebrate their lives. Whether it's a a birthday, anniversary, promotion, new baby, new home, or getting married, send notes to recognize the important milestones in your customers lives.

7) Show appreciation. Let your customers know you appreciate their business and that you are grateful they chose you.

8) Give value. Send your customers helpful tips and reminders of things like when the clocks change, new tools they will find helpful, recommendations for vendors whose services they might need, and articles and clippings they might find interesting.

9) Make them feel important. Recognize and reflect back the genuine qualities you admire about a person. Complement them on their abilities and skills.

10) Choose a Top 100 List. It's the 80/20 rule. Choose your best customers and most influential people in your network and get them a special dose of attention. The easiest way to grow your business is thru repeat business and referrals. By targeting the most influential people in your network and your top customers, you can get the most results out of your efforts. Tell them, "I sincerely thank you for our relationship and would like to work with other people just like you. Please don't hesitate to refer friends, family and colleagues. I appreciate your referrals!"

Article by: Kristie Rimmele, is a author, speaker, and business marketing expert. Thousands of people around the world have used this keep in touch marketing to build customer relationships, boost sales, and enhance customer loyalty.