
This post will outline ways to add value to your professional relationships and keep you top of mind.
Remember personal events: Birthdays, anniversaries, move-in dates, kid's birthdays, kid's weddings, family members or company in the news. Be aware and acknowledge!
Send industry information: Comps, buildings available close by, significant developments, competitors of theirs who are growing, shrinking, leaving, etc.
Refer business to them: Are you aware of your client's "ideal customer". If you are aware, there is a great chance that you know someone that could become a customer of your client. If you don't know who your client's customers are, you are voiding a huge opportunity for adding value.
Refer a potential employee to them: If you are in tune with your client's business and employee needs, you can "look out" for good folks for them to hire.
Make a strategic introduction: An architect to a general contractor, a moving and storage company to a material handling company, a fellow CRE broker to a sign company. A strategic intro creates a referral relationship between your clients and contacts. Both will appreciate the introduction!
Refer a professional: A CPA, a business attorney, a commercial insurance broker, a business banker, a wealth advisor. If you refer one of these professionals to your clients and a connection is made, you multiply your "touch points" with your clients.
Drop in to see them: Hey, was in the neighborhood and wanted to say hello!
Call them periodically to say hello: We haven't spoken in a while and I wanted to see what is new in your life.
Send them a small gift: If the item has your name, logo, and phone number...AND is cool...it might end up in their car, on their desk, in their golf bag, etc. What a great constant reminder of their service provider extraordinaire...you!
Invite them to a networking event: Many times your clients are ideal clients of another profession that you see at networking events. Occasionally, interesting content is presented that would interest your client.
Become a resource for referrals: In addition to the strategic introductions, business referrals, professional referrals that you make, become the "go to" for your client's needs.
Invite them to partner with you in a presentation: If your clients are in compatible industries (in my case moving and storage, contractors, material handling, etc.), ask them to join you in presenting your services to a new client...the benefits are immeasurable!
Give them some run via social media. Blog about them, tweet about them, Facebook post about them (one of my clients got a job from one of my Facebook posts), provide a Yelp review, post their logos on Pinterest, conduct You Tube interviews and post them, etc.