Call, girls and boys

When was the last time you contacted your old clients?

You know, those people and businesses you used to do business with, but for some reason you no longer do?

Put it like this, if you are not speaking to them? Who is? Or do you earn so much money from your business you can afford to let old and valued clients take their money elsewhere?

There are many theories as to how often you should contact these people and the way you contact them.

But let me put it to you this way - if your contact struggles to remember your name and / or your business, then you've left it too long. As to why you contact them - well if it's been a while, it's a good idea to leave the hard-sell at home, you'll just come across as pushy and desperate.

So my advice would be to start your new interaction by offering them something of value. That doesn't mean money, but a contact they may find useful, an article you've found which they might find interesting. Something that says, I've been thinking about you, how can I help you. Because for the ones in the know, if you are front of mind you will reap many benefits and again it may not be monetary.

The how you contact them is also interesting. If you've only ever dealt with them face-to-face in the past, you'd be wise to telephone first. People move on, so do your homework first. If your interaction has always been by telephone, then consider asking to go in to see them. While e-mail has become a preferred method for contact as it reaches across the globe, but if you don't have permission to send anything by email, then you are sending SPAM, no matter how good the content is. So, always make sure your contact details are up to date. Give your contacts an unsubscribe option and make sure your website has both a sign up form on the front and an FAQ as to what kind of information you will be sending and how often you will be sending it.

For those of you without clients to contact you may be thinking - this doesn't apply to me. Actually the contact applies to everyone - unless you live in a cave on a hillside somewhere.

Have you applied for a job recently? Have you spoken to them to see if and when they will be making a decision?

Have you spoken to your family and friends recently?

If for some reason you are estranged from family members, now is as good a time as any to pick up the phone. You many not remember what the problem was, and chances are going to be good they will have forgotten too. But if they do still harbour a grudge, well you did your bit and you picked up the phone. Never let it be said you didn't try.

And that is the key message to this edition of the daily dose. Never, ever let it be said you didn't try. Don't let clients, family and friends down because you couldn't be bothered to keep in touch. It can and does take time to pick up new leads, and for those leads to generate business for you. So why do you lose the clients you do have through inattention and can't be bothered?

And if you would like to speak to me - well I am always at the end of the e-mail. I may never get to see many of you in person, but I'm always here if you need me.