In small business, big business – or merely the important business of living a good life – it is always important to be grateful. I don’t necessarily mean in an airy-fairy The Secret way either.

One of the ways that clients often drop off the chart is not because we have done a bad job necessarily. In the industry of real estate (for example), businesses are always spending large amounts of marketing on trying to attract new clientele.  Yet, their databases are often full-to-bursting with clients replete with emails, phone numbers and postal addresses.

Why do we let these people who have used our services go by the wayside? What happens? Is can be very difficult to retain clients because we don’t know what to say to them post transaction.

So I thought I’d write a little piece on saying thankyou. Remember even before getting new business – to be grateful! Be imaginative with your gifts. Be personal and even funny. I have found some clients have really enjoyed the gifts sent to them from Threadless, which is a young-designer driven funky t-shirt shop. Who sends t-shirts to clients? No-one! If you can find a gift that supports the local community of your own business, even better. Share the love around. Another fabulous business is Rainbow Designs who send pretty chocolate and lolly boxes.

Similarly, I send cheeky little gifts to prospective clients – if you’ve received one so far, you’ll certainly know what I mean! It’s probably worth becoming a Ruby Assembly client just to find out what it might be 🙂

And once that transaction is over – just remember to get into your Outlook diary and pop in a date 6 or 12 months out. Send a cheeky e-card. See how they’re going. You don’t need to constantly search for new clients – you just need to keep lovin’ the ones you’ve got.

Thankyou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!