Personal connection is what life is all about—and it’s definitely what business is all about. Whether you’re in business for yourself or working for someone else, your ability to connect with your clients is what will determine your success. Here’s what you need to know.
1. People work with people they like.
It doesn’t matter how well you did in school or how much you know about your products, if people don’t like you, they aren’t going to want to work with you.
The thing you have to think about, though, is what happens when you build a great connection with someone you meet and then, five months down the road, they call you looking to learn more about your services—and you can’t remember anything about them.
Well, if you can’t call to mind any of the things you talked about, you just might lose out on the business. Think of it this way: that connection you made was strong enough for this person to have remembered you and sought you out, so how do you think it makes them feel if they find you can’t even place them?
That’s why successful business people are organized. Whenever you meet a potential client at a networking event (or anywhere else, for that matter), keep track of what you spoke about.
If you keep a few simple notes from your conversation, you’ll be able to refresh your memory at a glance, even if it’s a year before you reconnect.
Now think of the difference in how they’ll feel, seeing you remember not only who they are but what you spoke about. That’s the kind of detail that makes someone want to work with you.
2. Good follow up is an investment in your business.
Your initial point of contact is just the beginning. If you don’t want to sit around hoping they’ll show up—In six months, in a year—then you need to get in the habit of regularly following up with the people you meet.
Anytime you connect, mark down the details you learn about major events in their lives. For instance, if they mention they’re getting married or their kid is about to graduate, make a note of the date and set up a reminder to send them a card.
Not only does this keep you in their thoughts, but it makes sure they think of you outside the context of your services or products. That’s important because, while you always want them to know what you have to offer, you never want them to feel sales pressure just from being in your presence. So, touch base to ask how they are and follow up on key events. Give them well wishes on the holidays. Those simple gestures keep you in touch without constantly doing a hard sell.
3. Follow up goes beyond the personal.
While all business is based on personal connections, it’s also about your products and services. More specifically, it’s about when your connection has a need for your products and services.
That’s where your notes come in handy again. If you know your connection will be looking for what you offer in November, then you can set up a reminder for you to get in touch with them in October.
And, once the connection becomes a client, you can use your knowledge of how they use your product or service to know when to reconnect. For instance, if you know clients tend to struggle around three months after finishing your intensive training program, then you need to set up an automatic reminder to touch base three months down the line with every person who signs up for that program.
Same goes for when your clients need your services seasonally or cyclically. Keep track of when you need to touch base with them again—ideally, a few weeks or a month before they are ready to dive in. That way you talk to them before they even think of contacting someone else.
These tips are simple, but they are the essence of building a strong, client-centered business. The fact is that a client-centered business needs extreme devotion to maintaining good personal connections.
Reaching out at key moments in your clients’ lives, as well as in key moments in the life cycle of your service or product, makes you both personable and helpful. That’s the kind of person people like to do business with.
By Jennifer Michelle, Guest Contributor
Jennifer Michelle helps health and fitness professionals create thriving, client-centered businesses while maintaining their passion for what they do. She received her MPH from Tulane University, which, combined with her background in stress management and business consulting, gives her a unique perspective on the needs of those in the health and wellness field. For more information, please visit: http://jennifermichellecommunications.com/
