The Rule of 71
In the service business, systematic follow-up with your clients is critical to long term success. Now more than ever you HAVE to stay close to your clients. Competitors are constantly nipping at your heels as they call, email and mail your customers, trying to position themselves in your accounts. That is why I came up with the Rule of 71: A systematic, fool-proof method of following up, staying in touch with your clients and adding value throughout the relationship.
Here are the touch points:
- 1 phone call a month x 12 months = 12 contacts
- 1 visit a month x 12 months = 12 contacts (24 total)
- 4 quarterly business reviews (in person or electronically) x 1 year = 4 contacts (28 total)
- 2 news emails a month x 12 months = 24 contacts (52 total)*
- 1 lunch a quarter x 12 months = 12 contacts (64 total)
- 1 client appreciation event after hours per quarter x 1 year = 4 contacts (68 total)**
- 1 phone call to sing or wish a happy birthday and a birthday email/card x once a year = 1 contact (69 total)
- 1 card around the holidays x once a year = 1 contact (70 total)
- 1 handwritten “thank you for your business” card with a request for referrals x 1 a year = 1 contact…
THAT’s 71 strategic, systematic contacts with your client in a year!
A couple of quick notes from above:
*The bi-monthly emails should be informational, educational and add value to your clients’ businesses. Whether it’s combining a monthly newsletter and a market report (there are two ideas for your two emails) or simply a weather report combined with an article of interest because your client was mentioned in the news, make it relevant and interesting. Also, as far as timing, I recommend Tuesday mornings as a delivery day. People are typically slammed on Mondays with catching up from the weekend, attending meetings, cleaning up items from the previous week, etc… I’m not suggesting Monday’s aren’t a good day to send out your stuff; only you know the biorhythms of your market space, so pay attention to when the best day is reach your audience.
**After-hours events are HUGE for relationship building. Like a lunch, it takes away any “home court advantage” the client might have. These events will allow your client(s) to loosen up making it easier to get to know them. Even with today’s technology and break-neck business pace, people still want to do business with people they like. After-hours events are a great way to enhance the likeability factor.
Imagine if you had a system like this to plug new and existing clients into? No more wondering how to add value and guessing when the best time to follow-up is; instead, you will have a tactical approach to servicing your clients.
Last thing. This is a guideline. Some clients require more attention and more contact. So keep that in mind as a you manage larger, more complex accounts. But once you implement this system, it will be clear that no client, no matter how big or how small, deserves less than the Rule of 71.
