Making the most of networking and exploiting customers contacts.

As a business coach it’s often assumed that we know it all and that we have the answer to every business conundrum. And yet I hate to break it to you, but we don’t.

Many of my most valuable lessons have been learnt the hard way, through hands-on experience – and none more so than the value of good-quality data as a new business tool.

I first got into business nine years ago and spent a lot of time, energy and money attending networking events and mixing with business types. No one told me just how valuable these contacts could be and so I walked away each and every time without capturing any details – never sure if our paths would cross again.

It took me a few years to realise what a waste that was and so now I always make sure I get someone’s phone number and email address if nothing else. Just because they have no need for your product or service now, doesn’t mean they won’t in three months, one year or three years time. And they may make a great supplier, or else you never know who they know or where they may go next.

Believe me when I say that having good quality, pre-qualified data from people you’ve actually met and spoken with is absolutely worth its weight in gold. Stay in touch with them gently, perhaps send a monthly or bi-monthly newsletter, the occasional email with offers or promotions, or else a link to your blog with advice and guidance about something of interest to them.

Always, always, have a clear unsubscribe button for those who really aren’t interested though, and for the others make sure you include links to your social media profiles and website so that they can get to know you and your business a little better.

Almost worse than not capturing the information though, is failing to ask for business or ask for referrals when you are in front of clients and prospects and that was the second mistake I made in the early days. As with many things in life, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Sure, happy clients are great, and if you’re lucky they’ll tell other people about how awesome you are and the value of working with you. But what if they don’t? Even if they’re absolutely over the moon with your service or product, they may simply not think to pass your details on.

I waited about three years too long to actually ask if they knew anyone who might be interested in support from me. A huge fail on my part as I don’t doubt that I could have grown my business much faster with the kind of great-quality leads which come from the most educated advocates of them all – past and present clients. Nowadays I make sure that I regularly ask each and every client if they know of anyone that might benefit from me getting in touch. I don’t overtly incentivise this as it can actually lessen the quality of the referral details passed, but I do always pass on my thanks appropriately.

When I started in business I assumed that if I did what I promised, every client would be a happy client, but I’ve since learned that around 68 per cent of lost business is simply down to perceived indifference.

Your client thinks that you don’t care whether they shop with you or not. Whether they use your service or one down the road. And so they do go to your competitor. And yet there are a whole host of ways in which you can keep their business. Firstly, and most simply, ask them if they’re happy. Ask them if there’s anything more than you can do to make their lives easier, their experience more positive, or your service better? Listen to what they say and then implement it. Other little things like using their name in communications, staying in touch, remembering personal details like their birthdays or their preferences, all go a long way to making your client feel like they really do matter to you.

I only wish that I’d learnt these three lessons earlier on in my business life. They made – and continue to make – a massive difference to me, and I can only guess at the impact they would have had when my business was younger and smaller.

Credit to Alan Adams