Following up is often one of the most overlooked tasks with a business.  It’s easy to put  follow up on hold because, as a priority item, it tends to lose out over doing ‘work’ for an upcoming client or meeting.

Sometimes this can be a grave mistake. One phone call, email,  or contact of any method, can make or break your relationship with a client or joint venture partners. Keeping in touch keeps your name in the minds of others. When it’s time to do business again, if your name is in someone’s mind they are more likely to contact you.  If they have forgotten all about you and your service, they may not think to call you again.

I am reminded of a mortgage broker I spoke with last summer. One of her main issues was that she had no time for contact management of her clients; no time to keep in touch. She worked on current files and clients and kept up with those, the list of names to email and call kept growing. One day she had time and spent an afternoon calling clients to say  ‘Hello.  How are things?’.

What she got that afternoon was an eye opener.

She discovered through her calls that three of those clients had renewed their mortgages with another broker or bank when it came time to do so. They hadn’t realized she could do this again at renewal time, she had been out of touch and the other financial specialists were talking to them.  They signed with the other agents.

It was a great wake up call.  Knowing what this had meant to her business and the bottom line, she was determined to make followup work.  She contacted me and we set up a list and system whereby she can quickly send an email updating clients on the markets, rates and more.  Once set up it’s a simple process and any new clients get added in the system. That is how she uses my services to look after the management of her system and send the emails as needed. No one is getting missed and she is finding that clients are contacting her; renewing clients as well as those looking to make early renewal. She has kept them current on rates and the benefits of renewing now and her clients are listening, because she is talking to them.

Everyone gets ‘busy’ and wants to make today’s sales, but you have to remember that your past clients can also do business with you in the future – if you keep in touch with them.

Every business can find a way to set up a ‘follow up system’ that works.  If you need help doing so, a virtual assistant (VA) can make a great partner in such a task.  There are even VAs  that specialize in certain areas such as real estate, law, coaches and more. They will have great insight to your specific needs for followup.

Most VAs have various programs and systems that allow us to help our client’s manage their clients. If you think this will help you grow your business by making sure no one falls through the cracks, contact a VA today and see how he/she can help you.

There are various VA organizations that can also help you find a VA for your type of business; VAnetworking.com,  Canadian Virtual Assistance Connection and VAclassroom are a few. You can search for certain qualities or even post your requirements for the service you need.

The main thing is; if you think you are losing clients and business due to poor follow up, get some sytem in place.  It’s amazing what results you will see.

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