Client Retention and Relationship Building

February 11, 2010 7:30 PM

Creative marketing types: Looking for creative ways to "stay in front" of my clients!

I am in the group benefits business (think: employer-sponsored health care) where I have to persuade HR managers, CFOs and business owners to make me (AND KEEP ME) as their broker. Emphasis on "keep".

The way my business works is that every year, the group medical contract for a client comes up for renewal. I am looking for creative and unique ways I can strengthen my relationship and "stay in front of" my clients throughout the year.

Basically, what I have been doing so far is 1) Writing them one handwritten letter in the beginning of the year 2) stopping by and dropping off bagels or fruit 1/3 of the year through, and 3) calling to schedule a semiannual plan review........ with sporadic emails "just to check in" scattered through the year, and we do a monthly, constant contact email.

THIS IS SO BORING! Are there any unique ways you can think of for me to maintain a visible presence in front of my clients, without making a pest of myself? I don't know... maybe like making custom post cards and sending them to my clients w/ a handwritten note.....? The more personalization and flair, the better.

posted by anonymous to Human Relations (5 answers total)

As someone who used to do some HR stuff - and I say this with no air of snarkiness - do the best you can to ensure your company is providing the best service they can to your clients. I'm sure/I hope you're doing this already, but I always saw bagels and christmas cards and whatnot as part of the shtick, which...ok, that's fine, but whatever. If you're selling a good product (good is relative, obviously), then you don't have much to worry about, as long as your company is doing their job properly.

Basically, keep in touch and be accessible, and if there's a problem, do what you can do get it resolved. No uniqueness needed.
posted by AlisonM at 7:39 PM on February 11, 2010

I'm with AlisonM -- I tend to just throw this kind of garbage away, with the added bonus of being annoyed that someone wasted the paper for printing it. I don't want stuff; I want to know you can do your job well. Why would I need flair from my benefits rep? If you must, send me an email or e-newsletter telling me about your awesomeness.
posted by runningwithscissors at 8:12 PM on February 11, 2010

Um, but if your clients aren't as cranky as I am, I hope other people come up with great ideas for you!
posted by runningwithscissors at 8:35 PM on February 11, 2010

The fruit baskets are tacky, although I tend to like really nice pens, post-it notes and highlighters. But ultimately it's all crap, and what you need to be doing is adding value. And bagels? Really tacky.

There's a local insurance company in town that is trying to expand services to small businesses, and they are quite successful. Besides offering generic insurance and benefits products, they also focus on helping companies do business better. Specifically, the company designed an online hr handbook that explained payroll and other stuff for smaller companies. The insurance company also partnered with an hr consultant who could help companies implement better practices.

If you can develop a unique, related service that helps add value, you will retain customers.

Tis will involve finding out what customers want, and this means talking to them. People will remember a conversation where you're genuinely interested in their business, and if you remember the conversation.

Visits should be made once a quarter.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:59 PM on February 11, 2010

I'm also in agreement with AlisonM.

I've known HR people who are offended by this stuff. They think "Huh. They're raising our rates and cutting back services... but they're spending more money on this sh!t?"
posted by 2oh1 at 1:23 PM on February 12, 2010