I have heard many a business person say, “I just don’t understand why my customers chose to business with someone else.  I did everything right.”  I then ask them, “When was the last time your customer heard from you? “  The answer is then usually, “Well, umm….errrr.”

The relationship between a customer and a business is much like a dating relationship.  That is why I like to call the type of marketing that I do “relationship marketing.”

There are certain things that you don’t do on the first date…and if you do, you may be risking the relationship down the road.  There are also certain things that you should do if you want to cultivate the relationship.  For example, a phone call now and then to say you are thinking of them.  A thoughtful note from time to time.  An unexpected gift.

Your relationship with your customer can be cultivated in much the same way.  And if you aren’t doing it, your competition may be.  Just like when you start a new romance, if you aren’t showing them enough attention, someone else may very well be.

Of course there is a right way to do this.  Your customers don’t want you to be showing up in their email and in their mail box every day saying, “BUY FROM ME, PLEASE!  I’M DESPERATE FOR A SALE!!”  Just like you wouldn’t want to call your new romance every single hour of the day and overwhelm them with emails/notes.  Smothering is never a good idea if you want to come across as someone of value.  After all, if you are too readily available you must not be much of a prize, right?

So what is the right amount?  Well, it all depends on the type of customers you have, but a good rule of thumb is that your customers need to be hearing from you, at the very least, every month.  Your top customers should hear from you every week in some form or fashion.  I suggest that you touch base with them throughout the month in various forms of media.

A follow-up marketing calendar for a month might look like this:

Week 1- Ezine article

Week 2- Ezine article and postcard/greeting card in the mail

Week 3- Ezine article and phone call/voicemail to touch base

Week 4- Ezine article and Newsletter (can be either print or email)

Now, that is a total of 7 touches for a month.  You may have more or less, depending upon the type of clients you have on your list.  You may be saying, “Wow, that is an awful lot of work.”  But let me ask you this…if you don’t follow up with them, is your competition?  You may not know until it is already too late.