August 2015 - Q3
Statistics show that it costs a business about 5-10 times more to acquire a new customer than it does to sell to an existing one?  Not only that, but on average, current customers spend 67% more than new customers.  How does your business keep your customers coming back?  Are you in regular communication with your customers and targets?  When we are working on a project or closing a sale, we are in constant communication with our customers.  But how often do you contact clients with no active projects?  In this newsletter, we are going to discuss the subject of how frequently you should touch base with your clients.
How frequently should you touch base with customers?

You don't want to harass clients, but you do want to be in constant communication.  If you aren't, another company is!  I find the best way to communicate with clients is email.  Depending on your industry, you may want to do this monthly, quarterly or yearly.  A quick "health check" to see if you can help with anything.  Ask them if they have anything coming down the pipeline.  Tell customers about new products, service offerings, promotions, etc.

Be sure to keep customers informed on your successes.  For example, if you have closed a large sale in the food manufacturing industry, be sure to tell your other customers in the same industry!  People like to learn what is being done in their industry.  Perhaps a customer didn't know you were able to sell or service a specific item.  By telling them what you have done in their industry, it might start a dialogue about a project they are looking at. 

I also find electronic newsletters are a good way to keep in touch.  It is a way of providing info on new products, services, etc.  You can include links to white papers, videos, other websites, upcoming trade shows you are participating in, etc.  You might tailor the newsletter by industry, geography, existing vs new clients, etc.  Publishing these on a regular basis is key - whether that is bi-weekly, monthly or quarterly.

Depending on your industry, you may want to also consider social media - Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN and Instagram are all excellent ways to keep your customers informed.  It allows you to share information quickly and with a large group of people. 

At the end of the day, regular communication with our clients will help with retention.  Let your clients know that you value them and hopefully they will continue to buy from you!
100 Women Who Care Uxbridge

White Glove Virtual Assistant is proud to be a supporter of 100 Women Who Care Uxbridge.  They are a group of 100 women in Uxbridge who care about local community causes and who are committed to community service.  They gather for just one hour every three months and at each meeting jointly select a local charity or not-for-profit organization and write a $100 cheque (per person/team) to the selected organization.  At their May meeting, 100 Women Who Care Uxbridge raised $13,925 for Durham Farm & Rural Family Resources.  To date, the group has raised almost $84,000 for local charities!  The next meeting is September 2nd at Wooden Sticks. For more information on this amazing group, please visit www.100womenuxbridge.com. 
Please feel free to contact me to discuss your "White Glove Virtual Assistant" requirements.  We are happy to provide daily, weekly or monthly assistance.  We are very flexible - contact us today!
Andrea M. Scowcroft
Owner
416-819-3475