Now that I have reached the grand old age of 42 (yes, I’m so old/so young – take your pick), one thing has become clear.
It’s relationships that count.
Relationships with people.
You can take away lots of things, but don’t take away the relationships with people I care about.
The same thing is true in business, of course.
It’s our long-term relationships with our clients that are the most fulfilling and the most profitable.
From a sheer dollars and cents point of view, long-term client relationships provide us with more income, more easily. After all, it sure is easier to keep selling to someone who knows you than to try to form a new relationship with a skeptical stranger.
That’s why mature businesspeople build lists of clients who will be with them for the rest of their careers.
(Remember the guy I told you about a few months ago who neglected his client list and was mad at himself for doing so?)
Anyway…
The trouble is, relationships are hard.
They take work.
They take phone calls and emails and visits.
Yes, those things are still important, but a newsletter can cut a lot of the shoe leather out of the equation.
The reason? Newsletters – when done well – leverage relationships.
You’re able to build a relationship with many people with one newsletter.
OK, it’s not as good as seeing everyone face to face every month. But still…
The method is pretty simple:
Build a database of people you can contact.
Then over time grow your relationship with these people.
When they know you – and the time is right – they’ll be in touch.