Building lasting connections with clients starts with thoughtful follow-ups…
After working with a client, whether on a short-term or long-term project, it’s essential to follow up. Past and current clients can be great sources of future opportunities, and it doesn’t take much effort to leave a positive impression.
Here are some guidelines on how to send a follow-up to your client.
Clients Are Referral Generators
Existing clients can be excellent sources of new referrals, especially when they’re satisfied with your work. It’s important to keep them updated on the full range of services you offer beyond what you’re currently doing for them. Additionally, offering referral incentives can help maintain strong connections, leading to more clients. Aim to make your clients so pleased that they’ll want to share their positive experiences with others in their network!
Stay On Their Mind
This is especially true if the client was previously a short-term, project-based one. Keeping in touch by sharing updates about your work, highlighting your achievements, and congratulating them on their successes and milestones helps maintain a presence in their thoughts. When they have a project that aligns with your expertise, you’ll be the first person they think of.
People Get Busy
The client might have intended to reach out about a new project but got sidetracked by other priorities. By reaching out to them first, you’re more likely to encourage them to follow through. They may have simply postponed the idea due to their busy schedule. Regular proactive communication from your side can help bring new projects to the forefront.
Take It Easy
It’s important to follow up with clients without being overbearing. Avoid bombarding them with constant emails. As a service provider, your approach differs from email marketers—while growing your prospects list is important, overloading paying or past clients with daily marketing messages will only lead them to ignore you.
Segment your audience carefully. Short-term clients should be on a separate list from current clients, and both should be distinct from prospects.
You can reach out to prospects weekly (or even daily), current clients monthly, and past clients every 30 to 90 days. The key is to follow up with professionalism and style, which will help re-engage them.
Here are some ways to effectively follow up with clients:
- Send a Thank You Email: After a meeting or sale, send a quick, personalized thank-you message.
- Schedule Follow-up Calls: Set a reminder to call clients a few days after an interaction to check in.
- Offer Solutions or Updates: Provide additional value, such as new products or services that may interest them.
- Send Helpful Resources: Share relevant articles, case studies, or tools that can benefit them.
- Send Personalized Check-in Messages: Use specific details from your last conversation to show you care about their needs.
- Ask for Reviews or Referrals: Politely ask satisfied clients for feedback or to refer you to others.
- Offer Exclusive Deals: Provide discounts or special offers to encourage repeat business.
- Create Follow-up Templates: Draft templates for common follow-up situations to save time while keeping communication personal.
- Use a Survey: Send a short survey to get feedback and show you care about their experience.
- Reach Out on Special Dates: Contact clients during holidays or their business milestones to maintain a personal connection.
At Virtual Professionals, we understand that regular follow-ups are key to nurturing strong relationships and ensuring future work. These are crucial for both gaining new clients and maintaining the loyal ones we’ve already built connections with. This approach highlights our consistency and expertise, keeping us on top of our client’s minds when new projects come up.
Team up with us and discover how we transform your leads into long-term opportunities.
Virtual Professionals 