If you do good work, sooner or later you will have a short list of loyal clients. They are easy to spot: they actually go out of their way to thank you for your help, they pay your fees on time, and when they’re really gushing, they promise you their first born. They’re only joking about the kid, but they mean the rest of it.
The strategic business developer will harness this goodwill for maximum effect. Here are three examples:
1. Request a Recommendation: Ask your client to write a few sentences on your LinkedIn profile by way of recommendation. It’s like a positive Yelp review, only more professional.
2. Connect Your Clients: Host a social event that brings your loyal clients into contact with either newer clients or prospective ones. All that positive PR sounds much better coming from a satisfied client than it does from you.
3. Confer at Conferences: Ask your loyal client about the conferences they will be attending in the coming year so you can join them. Not only will it afford some quality time offsite, it will introduce you to others in their industry who might also become loyal clients when they hear about the results you produced for their friend.
Activities such as these allow your loyal clients to show their appreciation in a way that truly benefits you: by generating more loyal clients.