I think by now we've all seen this commercial:

The Swiffer commercial has a "regular" mop asking, ok, begging and trying to "woo" the customer to come back to them with flowers and song dedications on the radio, now that they've switched over to using the new and improved Swiffer mop.

The woman's reaction - "too little, too late Mr. Mop."  It doesn't matter what you did before, and what you'll do now to try to get me back - I'm convinced I no longer need you.

I think the commercial is brilliant for the message Swiffer is trying to communicate to it's consumers - sometimes another product provides so much more and cares about it's consumers that there's nothing you can do to change that and keep them.

Sometimes messages like this are a little too late and give us the message we're not important to these companies.

The "baby come back" method of marketing is not the kind of marketing we want to be focused on when it comes to our consumers, especially with all the ways we have to stay in touch with them - it should never get to this point!

To market to this very important group - your sphere of influence - you don't need to purchase any special tools - you possess them already, but you have to be willing to use them.

By using your blog, social media sites, the phone, email and any way you can find to make a connection with your clients, you are given numerous opportunities to provide exceptional customer service - value - and a need for your clients that will have them very much aware of how you continue to be a resource of value for them beyond their day at the settlement table.

Think about a company whose product you used to use regularly - what made you stop using it and back away from this company?  Did the company stop providing any of the following?  

Customer Service

Value

Keeping in Touch

Listening more than Speaking

There are so many easy ways to make a prospect and customer feel important and the investment of time that you put into it will be well worth the rewards you will receive - another opportunity to work with this person and an opportunity to work with their sphere of influence.

Some key ways to invest in your relationships with previous clients (will also work with new prospects - start off on the right foot):

1. Provide targeted information (whether in a phone call, report, newsletter, or email) - fulfill your client's needs - give them what they want and need.
2. Marketing Updates - provide information on your client's listing before they even have a chance to ask.  Why leave them wondering or questioning what you're doing to get them to SOLD.
3. Send a link to a client when you post some new information to your website - why keep what you're doing a secret?  Perhaps include it in your next newsletter.  Mention a question that recently came from a client and address it in that newsletter (be sure they get a copy.)
4. Invite them to your blog - show them what you're involved in - direct them to the blog about their listing, send a link to the local business you just mentioned, promote your community - your next client could very well discover you and your services with their next Google search.
5. Engage on social networks - make your profile visible in the searches.  Invite clients to your page and engage with them.  Think about it - do you really want them to stop communicating with you after their transaction is completed?     

• This is a great way to keep the communications going and a wonderful opportunity to be exposed to their sphere of influence that could most likely see the link or comment you provided your client and perhaps a referral or new client is within arms reach?

Think about it - Why would we ever want to stop communicating with a previous client who we invested time with to get to know them, spent many hours with seeing homes or spending time showing their home and got them the results they were looking for - wouldn't we want them to feel good about our relationship so much so that they would want to mention our services to others?  Does our commitment to them stop after we sign the papers at the table? 

Ever notice the great feedback you get in touch with someone simply because you acknowledged them with a note or a call?  When we commit to stay in touch we are not only building on that relationship but increasing the chances of having relationships with all the people that person knows.

As previously stated in one of my blog posts:

"Simply offering "good" or "average" services to your clients is not going to get you noticed or talked about. Being honest, sincere, genuine will speak volumes to your clients.  Every time you interact with a client think to yourself is this the best I can give?  Would I feel special if I were the client?"

Think of a cat and some of the traits they have.  They are creatures of routine and if you change their setting and eating times it throws them off so much so that they turn away from you.

Can't the same be said with our clients?  If we change our habits of staying in touch with them they'll undoubtedly get upset and turn away from us as well.

Taking care of our prospects and customers from the very beginning and throughout the relationship is hard work but so worth the effort of having to turn to marketing them to get them back which in all likelihood will not happen - once they're gone they're not coming back.

                 Don't become a dispensable service that can be easily discarded because there's no more use for it or value in it.

I hope this post inspired you to make the commitment to your clients:

1. To stay in touch well after the transaction is complete and,
2. Encouraged you to find ways that you can commit to regularly and that will work for your clients to keep that relationship alive.

Feel free to share ways you continue to engage with your clients (whether past or current)

*********************************************************************************************

Some other blogs to help get you moving in the right direction of providing exceptional customers service and marketing expertise to your prospects and clients:

• Marketing Strategies
• Your Newsletter
• Areas to Focus

 ************************************************************************************************************