Paris, 12/17/14 -

Networking is a great way to build your business. In fact, it's pretty much a requirement for small and medium business owners today. Ask any successful business owner and they will tell you that networking is a key element in moving one's business forward. Your network is your net worth. The art of developing powerful relationships can do wonders for your business. And because 'tis the season for networking, here are a few quick yet efficient reminders on the best ways to keep in touch with your professional network.

-By Phil Mora (@orsusvirtum) 

You already know that staying in constant contact with existing customers will drastically boost your odds of repeat business. It’s cheaper, too, to get customers to come back than to attract new ones. But are your existing “keep-in-touch” strategies actually achieving your goal to get repeat customers, or are they simply annoying your contact list? If you’ve got room for growth, try out these strategies for better results. 

Monitor social media 
Depending on how many customers you have (and whether they’re active on social media), keeping up with them on social could be the best way to show you’re paying attention. If you use CRM, set it up to connect to each customer’s profiles on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. Then, regularly skim their feeds, comment on their updates, and reshare their content. They’ll appreciate the fact that you’re listening and helping support their own social endeavors. 

Send smarter e-mails 
We’ve got a plethora of targeting tools at our disposal these days, so there’s absolutely no reason you should be sending the same blanket e-mails you were sending ten years ago. Segment your customer list by types of products they’ve bought in the past or other characteristics that will help you send highly targeted e-mails. 

That way, if you have a list of customers who have purchased door mats from you in the past, you don’t have to irk them by sending a promotion for the same product; you’ve established they already own one. Instead, you can send them an e-mail about another home accessory they’re likely to be interested in. 

Give them a call 
Trust me: customers don’t expect a call from the head of the company when they make a purchase. But what a delight it would be to get a call from you asking how they’re doing and whether their most recent purchase met expectations. 

Remember that your goal here isn’t to sell further. It’s to establish clear lines of communication and provide top-notch customer service. 

Send holiday greetings 
With the winter holidays just around the corner, it’s a great time to plan your festive communications. All customers should get at the very least a holiday card, and you should consider giving customers who have been with you for a long time a gift, like a gift card or fruit basket. And you can give all customers and contacts on your e-mail list a special and exclusive coupon code to save big during the biggest shopping time of the year. 


Meet face-to-face 
If your clients are local, set up a coffee or lunch meeting. Just as with number three, your objective here is simply to touch base and find out how your customers are faring. Business might never enter the conversation, and that’s okay. You want to be more than just a company where they spend money. You want to become a trusted partner. 

If you start using just two methods mentioned in this post, you will increase your repeat business, which will make your business more sustainable.

[EDITED: Read More Here > Thank You Inc.]