In his book Rainmaking - The Professionals Guide to Attracting New Clients, Ford Harding, clarifies that business relationships require regular and consistent contact. With everyone being so busy, you can’t just stay in touch to stay in touch without creating value when you do. Here are a number of value creating contact reasons that might assist you in staying in touch with other business acquaintances on a regular basis.
- Request Advice on a project that you are working on (such as writing an article or book)
- Thank someone for referring business to you
- Congratulate or promote someone
- Request the name of a vendor
- Refer a possible job candidate
- Thank you for their payment for services rendered
- Offer free consultation
- Provide assistance on a professional association project
- Provide information on a potential customer
- Call about a new lead or business opportunity that you have become aware of
- Request coaching on a prospect or lead development idea
- Forward an article that you think might be of value to the client
- Recommend a vendor who provides excellent service
- Invite to a workshop or webinar
- Forward a blog post to them
- Notify them when you or your firm posts a press release
- Notify them regarding trade events
- Invite them to sporting events or group activities
- Offer to meet this person over lunch to discuss any of the above
- Offer to share your contact list with that person to help them develop business
- Use Social Media such as facebook, linkedin and twitter to stay connected to your network
