The key solution to keeping customers from defecting and retention high is to make scheduled follow up communication a major priority in your business and not just an afterthought.

Here’s what I mean. Far too many business owners and those placed in charge of the marketing and sales functions, easily fall into the trap of walking over dollars to pick up pennies when it comes to the amount of time given towards cultivating customer relationships.

Driven by the need to get new customers, businesses of all shapes and sizes work hard to get a customer and then make the huge mistake of taking the business for granted by doing little if any follow up after the initial sale has been made.

I’m certain you’ve seen this happen with those you do business with and it’s shocking that it still takes place as often as it does when the cost in time and marketing dollars for new customer acquisition keeps going up.

Let me share with you what I call the “Three C’s” for staying in front of customers.

Connection. People buy from those they know, like and trust. You’ve probably heard that term before but let’s dig into a bit deeper for just a second. Do your customers really know you? Do they feel a connection beyond the product or service you sell?

I ask this, because the picky, busy, and Internet based customer of today is looking for more than just a transaction. They want to know more about those they choose to do business with and often ask themselves the following questions:

*Are they local and active within the community?
*Do they provide a good value for what they charge?
*What else do they provide that can help me improve my situation?
*Are they friendly and appreciate my business?
*What’s the company story and do they have a good reputation?
*Can I trust referring them to people I know?

One of the smartest ways to address these customer questions and concerns is to reveal your business and what makes it tick. A couple of great ideas include sharing your story in all of your social media channels and featuring your best customers, referral partners and staff in all marketing and communication efforts. It’s gotten super easy with tools such as Facebook, YouTube, blog sites and eletters.

The days of the nameless, lifeless company that collects money and hides behind a wall of secrecy are long gone. Many large corporations have yet to get this memo, and unfortunately many of them won’t until they see their customer retention take a negative hit and the number of referrals they hope to win either fade away or disappear. (Tony reminder: Hope is not a marketing strategy!)

Content. What information are you sharing with your customers? Is it mainly about helping them or is about how good you and your company are? Is it mainly educational in nature or nothing but continual sales pitches? These are two smart questions to ask yourself and think about for a moment.
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