December 17, 07
Organizing Your Clients
Category: Small Business
As your small business grows the more you need to have better way to organize your business. A CRM solution can help you stay on top of all the details. The best source of new business is your current clients. You have already built a relationship with them, now you need to make sure you maintain it. The first step is to understand your clients. Just as different marketing ideas worked to bring in different people, you can't lump all clients together now. If you can see each client as an individual and provide them with just what they need you will keep them happier and ensure they become repeat customers. A happy client also leads to referrals, and that is the second best source of new business.So where do you begin? First make sure you keep every bit of data they gave you previously, spouse and kids names, personal interest, their business etc. Keep all notes easily store with the client information and use it when you contact them in the future. Everyone likes to know that you were paying attention before, and today it is less frequent that someone will ask about anything other than the sale itself so it is appreciated a bit more. Second organize your clients into groups, lots of groups. Have groups for those that prefer email contact, snail mail or prefer to be called. Do they prefer to be called during the day or evening? Group them by occupational categories, high maintenance or a group for those who prefer not to be contacted to often. Have a group for your high value clients, or high net worth individuals. This will make it easier to find the right clients when a new opportunity present itself.
Make sure to keep important dates and entries on your calendar for when to contact them in the future. Always stay on top of your calendar, most people really will appreciate the effort and prefer to do business with people who really care about them.
There are many options to organizing your data, including free options, so don't think you can't do it. You must. The best way to make sure your business grows is to take care of the clients you already have. Hard work and attention to detail still will succeed.