Keeping In Touch Is More Important Than You Think

Consistency is key to executing a successful marketing strategy, closing a sale, or nurturing your current client base. But when it comes to keeping in touch, how often do you need to communicate with your audience, and what sort of communication should you initiate? That answer will vary depending on your goals, to whom you’re talking, and the type of message you want to send. Here’s what we recommend. 

General Marketing

Your general marketing strategy generally centers around appealing to your entire audience through a variety of mediums: digital advertising, email marketing, organic social media posting, paid social media marketing, posting to your website, advertisements, direct mail, and more. Your strategy and the frequency with which you get in touch using these platforms will vary depending on your budget, time constraints, industry, and other factors, but it should remain consistent for the best results. We encourage researching the best practices for each platform or medium before committing to a strategy or content calendar. 

Nurturing Clients

As you may know, it costs 5 times more to attract a new customer than to retain an old one. That’s why nurturing relationships with your current customers is so essential. But how do you get in touch with your customers without appearing spammy, and what should you say when you do get in touch? 

Generally speaking, how often you get in touch with your audience depends on what medium you are using. When it comes to direct mail, we recommend reaching out once a month with valuable content your readers will enjoy and find memorable (perhaps in the format of a newsletter). For email campaigns, once a week is perfectly appropriate as long as you provide your audience with something they actually want to see. 

Speaking of, what kind of messages should you send to clients? You don’t want to put them off with frequent unwanted contact. In this situation, we recommend getting in touch with content meant to educate and entertain, not sell. Here are 3 basic tips to get it right. 

• Always add value. If you’re creating content you would want to read or view, you’re doing it right. Avoid adding boring content that is too niche-specific; instead, opt for more general content that engages your audience. 
• Stop trying to sell. Nobody likes being pestered for money — especially not paying customers. It’s okay to offer a special deal every once in a while, but only if it’s truly going to benefit your clients and interest them. 
• Evaluate what resonates. If you are getting feedback that your clients love a specific type of content you’re putting out, lean into that. This will help you to get the most bang for your buck with content creation. 

By creating consistent, engaging content, you can better nurture your relationship with your clients and create a more lasting relationship. 

Closing Sales

On average, you have to get in touch with a lead 8 times before closing a sale. In our experience, that number is often higher — especially if you are selling a more expensive product or service. So, how do you maintain consistent contact with a lead and move toward closing a sale without appearing pushy? Here’s what we suggest.

• Build a relationship first. Nobody likes to feel like a walking wallet. That’s why it’s so important to build a foundation of trust with your leads. This can come in the form of bonding over shared interests, chatting, or making light-hearted jokes. This will make you appear more likable and, in turn, more trustworthy. It will also be easier to maintain frequent contact if you know more about the potential buyer’s interests. 
• Welcome questions and concerns. After a sales call, it’s perfectly appropriate to reach out to a potential buyer and ask if they have any questions. If they do, it’s a perfect opportunity to provide materials or resources with an in-depth answer to their questions, or schedule a call to address their concerns. 
• Offer free resources. At Newsletter Pro, we’re proud to offer a variety of free resources for business owners, even if they aren’t currently a client of ours. This allows us to stay top of mind with potential customers, even if it takes an extended amount of time for them to buy. This is where content marketing or sharing educational resources through email campaigns or your website can be very helpful. 

By reaching out with meaningful information and actively addressing a prospect’s concerns, you will be setting yourself up for better sales success in the long run — even if it takes more touchpoints to get there.

In conclusion, staying in touch is essential for business success. Not only does frequent contact help to keep your brand top of mind with your audience, but it also solidifies your position as an authority within your industry. When it comes to expanding your company and securing a long-term relationship with your base, that can make all the difference.