The Communication Crime, Are You Guilty?
Building and maintaining relationships is important in any sector. Construction is no different. In previous surveys, we have confirmed this is certainly the case. Perhaps even more so than in other sectors.
If we maintain relationships, we:
- Solidify the bond between ourselves and our clients
- Are remembered - important in tender situations for example so you do not fall off the invitation list for any reason
- Stand a much better chance when you bid for work because we are still top-of-mind
But How Guilty Are You Of The Communication Crime?
At the heart of maintaining relationships is communication. So, do you communicate with everyone to the degree you need to in order to maintain those bonds?
The reality is, we are too busy getting through each day and the work and deadlines in front of us to be anything other than guilty of not maintaining that personal communication.
An Alternative - When You Can't Be There In Person, Why Not Use An E-Newsletter?
Being with somebody in person is best. A phone call isn't as good, but it helps. But you simply can't spare the time to keep a conversation going with both your clients and your prospective clients in person or on the phone. There are too many.
And that's where an e-newsletter can bridge the gap.
Don't Just Promote Yourself However!
If all you ever do is drone on about your latest project and how fabulous you are, your readers will switch off. Yes, you should promote yourself, but not all the time.
Produce content which educates, informs, and occasionally surprises both your clients and prospects.
For example, you may have noticed that we do surveys? This is a great way of keeping in touch with what's in the minds of our clients, but it also produces great material. Yes, we find it interesting, but we get great feedback from both clients and potential clients too who comment further and stay engaged.
And from time to time, they may visit our website. Or see a need for our services and remember us because they know us - even though we may not have yet met or spoken in person.
If it helps, here's what we do:
1. Keep it short. Wherever possible we keep it to just one simple question. And we make it even easier by giving multiple choice answers, so busy people can still take part with a single letter answer
2. Allow your readers to comment too - but make it an option so that the busy people can still take part, and won't ignore it because they are being asked to comment
3. Tot up the totals and examine them in an article. Report back on the headline results. Reproduce a selection of comments - particularly those that surprised you because they may surprise others too.
How Do You Get Started?
Here's a quick checklist of the things you need:
- An email package - there are many and various providers who can help you produce either plain text or graphically based e-newsletters and transmit them for you
- An idea of what you want to say - make sure you mix in content which educates and informs, as well as news of your projects and successes
- Either personnel responsible for producing the content, or, use an agency (like ourselves!) to produce the material for you so it is regularly and consistently going out
- Decide on a schedule - weekly? fortnightly? monthly? quarterly?
- Who will you send it to? Do you have a list of your clients and prospects?
If you'd like help setting up, producing and managing your newsletters so you are remembered by the people that count, why not give us a call?