Keeping In Touch
One area that I am seeking solutions for in my business is the art of staying in touch with potential and current clients. I say art because there really are no rules to satisfy everyone. Some people are online folks, some people would prefer a phone call, others really like the personal one-on-one chat, while others just want a handwritten note every once in a while. Some people want to hear from you on a regular basis while others would rather hear from you with major news only (which is not good for business). The worst thing business owners could do is to not contact their customers at all.
I actually have a good idea of how I want to keep in touch with my customer base and have been playing with solutions to do it well and efficiently. Of course, I consider this blog a tool. Since I’m currently working on multiple business ventures, I’m considering a blog for each of them. They are not only good for keeping in touch with customers, they also present a good way to journal this journey of business ownership and to keep up with new discoveries I
make for each business. I’m just at a crossroads with determining a regular schedule for posting to three blogs (in addition to all the other freelance writing I am now enjoying).
Social media-wise, YB Consulting’s Facebook fan page and my personal twitter have become my primary tools for keeping people up-to-date with different things going on in the business including new blog posts from Cardinal Rules, relevant articles written in other forums, and company promotions. I have also created a fan page and twitter account for my startup Fun Spaces. These will operate in similar fashion to YB Consulting. I’m still considering consolidating my consultancy into the Cardinal branding and let that be my entrepreneurship advocacy identity… we’ll see. Finally, my third venture will have a blog but that may be it. It is truly meant to be a part-time business for me yet something I am still excited about! Have to be excited about residual income…
Another marketing tool I am considering is iContact, an e-mail marketing solution. This company is based in my town (buy local!) and was co-founded by an alum from one of my alma maters UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. I have multiple marketing campaigns to conduct for relationships in my three+ ventures and I hear this solution is good for managing that type of feat. Plus it is reasonably priced, allows for space to grow, has autoresponders… I’m appreciating iContact already.
What tools are you using in your business to keep in touch with customers on a regular basis? Please leave a comment below to let the community know.
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