March 2008 

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Tom Long, President
Solid Oak Consulting

 
Building Your Client Relationships
 In last month’s issue of Under the Oak Tree, we touched on the importance of relationships in business. After all, when you have strong client relationships, they will tend to stay with your business for the long haul. As such, building relationships is an important part of marketing because it entails how you promote and sustain your business.

You can build client relationships in two ways: on a personal level or a professional level. A personal relationship with your clients means going beyond the boundaries of their business and getting to know them as people, not just clients. You learn about their family, their hobbies and their dreams. You can connect with them on a personal level by sending them birthday greetings or asking about their family and hobbies. When you have tickets to a sporting event you know they enjoy, ask them to go with you or simply give them your tickets to enjoy with their family or friends. By connecting with your clients in this way, you are reinforcing your business relationship and building a rapport and trust that go beyond the client relationship.

Building a professional relationship often means exceeding your client’s expectations of you and your business. For example:
  • Share your contacts. If your client needs assistance in a particular area, whether it is your field or not, share your contacts who might be able to help your client become more successful. Let them know you care about their success and not just your own.
  • Make face-to-face contact. Many business relationships these days are conducted over the Internet or by phone. But, whenever possible, it’s nice to see your clients face-to-face. imageThis strengthens your relationships and adds a personal touch to the professional level. Plus, people like the reassurance that comes from personal contact.
  • Avoid nickel-and-diming. I’ve heard lawyers say to their clients, “Why didn’t you come and see me sooner?” Well, they probably were afraid of getting charged, so they waited until it was too late. But, if the client knew that the lawyer wouldn’t charge for every minute of the consultation, the client may be more likely to see him. This puts your clients at ease and keeps communication open and fluid.
Generally speaking, you want to retain your clients. (And trust me, I know there are ones on occasion that you want to get rid of.) Next to offering a great product or service, relationship building is the best way to keep your clients and establish long-term relationships.

Show Some Generosity Along the lines of building relationships, let’s touch on the importance of generosity. Sometimes, we get so caught up in our day-to-day business operations that we forget about this important business – and personal – practice.

By generosity, I mean being generous with:
  • Your time and talent. Be generous with your time and talent, whether it’s helping one of your clients or volunteering in the community. Business is not always about the bottom line.
  • Your resources and materials. When you find a great resource, tell your business clients. You can put useful links you find on your Web site or forward an interesting article.
  • Your terms. LL Bean is a good example of a company that is very generous with its return policy. If a customer is dissatisfied with LL Bean merchandise at any time, the store will take the merchandise back – no questions asked. You also might alter the payment terms for a business you know is just starting. We’ve all been there before, and a little flexibility can go a long way with clients.
Besides the obvious goodwill of generosity, it also can be viewed as a subtle marketing tool. While this shouldn’t be your sole reason for being generous, people appreciate a business that is willing to step from behind the profit margin and help others.

Solid Oak’s Action Plan Over 30 years of business experience has shown me there are business basics which, when mastered, result in success – even for the small business just starting.

Solid Oak Consulting’s Action Plan Program for business success is based on experience and research from many organizations, including the Institute for Independent Business, Small Business Administration, Harvard Business School, Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Inc. Magazine, The Economist, Dun and Bradstreet and Coleman Entrepreneurial Center of De Paul University.

The Action Plan Program begins with a comprehensive, but rapid assessment, of the key functions and issues of your business. This assessment forms the basis for a set of action plans designed to focus your business’ efforts and investments on the most critical areas necessary for success.

One particular focus of the Action Plan Program is on repeatable processes. Developing a set of repeatable processes from the beginning ensures a company can, and will, continue to be successful into the future. And, most importantly, it will generate sustainable success.

The technician worries about today. The manager worries about tomorrow. But the owner worries about his legacy – “What will happen when I’m gone?”

The Solid Oak Action Plan considers 13 key areas of business:
  1. Planning
  2. Management
  3. Marketing
  4. Financials
  5. Sales
  6. Customers
  7. Products/Services
  8. Employees
  9. Change Management
  10. Alliances
  11. Advisors
  12. Perseverance
  13. Exit Strategy
To learn more about Solid Oak’s Action Plan Program and schedule a free initial meeting, contact Tom Long at telong@SolidOakConsulting.com.


Helping Your Acorn Business Grow Into A Solid Oak™