Frightful to Connected

Many businesses are frightfully uninvolved with their customers except when the customer is contemplating a sale or when the client makes a purchase. Here are three tips for moving to a more solid connection with customers that will make your competition irrelevant. The first two suggestions apply best in the business-to-business space or where high-value clients represent a well-differentiated and small segment. The third is applicable in all settings: 1) set-up Google alerts for your high value clients (www.google.com/alerts) and send a personal note when alerts notify you of an accomplishment by one of those customers, 2) sign-up for your clients' newsletters and include a mention of their victories in your newsletter, tweets, blog etc. 3) track mentions and #tag references to your company on Twitter and send a personal response to each positive, neutral, and negative reference The common ingredient for each tip is a willingness to listen when your customer doesn't expect you to do so. Reaching out and celebrating your clients when you aren't selling something sets you apart from the competition and generally takes minimal effort while returning large loyalty gains. What are your best strategies for listening beyond the sale? How are you re-engaging and celebrating important customers?