Fun Ways to Follow Up With Clients
I admit it. I’m not always the best role model when it comes to following up with clients the way I should. In fact, I’ve thought about starting up a support group, so I could stand up and bare my soul: “I’m Mike. And I’m a lousy follower-upper.” Yet I know how critical it is – there are studies galore showing that it’s far easier and less expensive to get repeat business that to find brand new clients. And when you follow up with clients they feel valued and appreciated, and you’re more likely to get referrals.
Here are some off-the-beaten-path, fun ways to follow up with your clients:
- Celebrate their milestones, even the unusual one: One salesperson I know sends a birthday card to celebrate their client’s dog’s birthday!
- Send them a Happy Anniversary card on the anniversary date of when you first did business with them.
- Hire a celebrity impersonator voice (they’re easy to find online and relatively inexpensive) to send leave them a funny voice mail message.
- Celebrate their success: If you hear or read something positive about them, send congratulations along.
- Send out a “Just Thinking About You” card on unusual holidays or to celebrate the unusual, funny theme days I post on my website. You’ll definitely stand out from the herd if you’re the only one who sent them a “Happy Groundhog Day” or “Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day” card!
- Leave an inspiring or humorous quote on their voice mail that reminds you of them or their business.
- Clip out relevant newspaper or magazine articles and mail them to your client with a simple note, “Thought of you when I read this!”
- If you read a great business book take the time to refer the title to clients you think might benefit from it.
- Send something unusual to them in the mail – something that reminded you of them, of one of their interests, or one of their challenges.
- Create a short video message (you can use your I-phone for goodness sake) to really stand out from the clutter in a personal way.
- Send along a survey relevant to their industry or your business.
- Send them survey results that relate to their business.
- Refer other businesses you know might help them succeed.
- Send out a brief “tip of the week” e-mail message.
- E-mail or leave a voice message with just the setup part of a joke, and let them know that if they want to hear the punchline, they need to get in touch with you.
- Mail them a safe, relevant cartoon related to their business or personal interests.
- Create a special “VIP club” for them that offers them a premium follow up package.
- Never, ever forget the power of a simple and short handwritten thank-you note.
2017. Michael Kerr is an international Hall of Fame business speaker and the author of The Humor Advantage: Why Some Businesses Are Laughing All the Way to the Bank.
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