How Do You Keep In Touch With Your Customers?

By Susan Oakes • 11 Comments

M4B Marketing - Keeping in Touch There are so many ways to keep in touch and it  is essential for marketing your businessand brand.

The question is what is the right way for your customers?

What may be ideal for your business may in fact be turning your customers off? Or what is the best way for a friend’s business may just not be the best way for you to strengthen your customer relationships.

To simplify this issue perhaps you need to ask a couple of questions before you dive into sending out a newsletter, or even phoning them.

  • How do your customers want you and/or your business to stay in touch?
  • What are your customers’ interested in?
  • When or how often to keep in touch?

If you do not know the answers, then why not ask a few of your customers and see if their responses are similar to what you thought.

 By understanding what is preferred helps you to tailor your approach and increases the connection with your customers which can only be a good thing for your business.

Here are a few thoughts for keeping in touch:

  • Catching up over coffee, lunch or dinner
  • Formal meetings once a month
  • Sending the latest joke, funny video or new music release
  • Email or Tweet about latest events or news that could affect them or their business
  • Postcard
  • Video chat
  • Group meeting online
  • Hand written note
  • Facebook
  • How was your week phone call?
  • Quarterly catch up or phone call on what is working well and what can we improve on
  • Sms about something regarding their social interests or a promotion you are running
  • Newsletter

So over to you, how do you keep in touch with your customers?

11 Responses to How Do You Keep In Touch With Your Customers?

  1. bizsugar.com says:
    October 21, 2009 at 8:45 pm

    How Do You Keep In Touch With Your Customers?…

    There are so many ways to keep in touch and it is essential for marketing your business and brand. The question is what is the right way for your customers? What may be ideal for your business may in fact be turning your customers off?…

  2. Strategic Growth Advisors says:
    October 22, 2009 at 5:44 pm

    This is an example why I always check your site for new articles, Susan. They are simply informative, insightful and very relevant to today’s business obstacles most entrepreneurs are trying to negotiate. Keep writing!

  3. Cindy King says:
    October 22, 2009 at 7:36 pm

    I actually have to sit down and write a “Monthly Keeping In Touch” plan – it’s on my to-do list. So it was fun to read this.

    Right now, as I’m still developing my business, I am using this mainly to network with people who can refer business to me. One thing I have been doing is “Twitter Interviews”. My primary goal with these Twitter Interviews is to network with peers in my own niche.

    Right now I’m looking for more “touches” that are not “me” focused. But where there is value for both of parties. More “social media friendly too”.

    Would love to have a skype chat with you, Susan, to brainstorm some ideas :)

    • Susan Oakes says:
      October 22, 2009 at 9:56 pm

      Hi Cindy,

      Although usually because of the time diference I have not been able to be there in your tweet interviews in real time, I have read them via Tweet Deck later and I have learnt a lot.

      Would love to have a brainstorm as the more ideas we can share the more we can help each other to even greater success. Email me so we can set up a time to suit.

      Thanks for sharing Cindy.

      Susan

  4. Tweets that mention How Do You Keep In Touch With Your Customers? | M4B Marketing -- Topsy.com says:
    October 22, 2009 at 7:45 pm

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by CindyKing, Sara A Friedman and Susan Oakes, Susan Oakes. Susan Oakes said: Post: How Do You Keep In Touch With Your Customers? http://ow.ly/vnbR [...]

  5. Martin Lindeskog says:
    October 22, 2009 at 10:39 pm

    As an experienced purchaser I can relate to this post. You had suppliers who only were interested to get the business and then you didn’t hear anything more from them. But you also had others who tried to stay in touch in different ways.

    I am using a video email message services there you could create an email with a link to a video clip that could have presence matching your graphic profile with a template with “your” colors, logotype, greeting, etc.

    Staci: I have followed your Twitter interviews with interest. Talk to you soon again! :)

    All the Best,

    Martin

    • Susan Oakes says:
      October 23, 2009 at 6:09 am

      Hi Martin,
      Thanks for letting us know about the video email especially as you can tailor it. Great idea to add to the list.

      Susan

  6. Martin Lindeskog says:
    October 23, 2009 at 6:26 am

    Susan,

    You are welcome. If you or your readers are interested to see a demonstration on how to use it, click on my name and scroll down the right column to the link “Video Email by Talk Fusion”.

    Martin

  7. Cross-Culture Tweets – Week 43 of 2009 says:
    October 29, 2009 at 12:40 am

    [...] RT @m4bmarketing What are your tips for keeping in touch with customers? [...]