3 Ways to Keep Clients Engaged

Clients don’t need a constant drip, but they do need to hear from you at regular intervals, to be aware of the value you’re providing and to have opportunities to refer your service to others.

If you’ve found client communication tends to drop off over time, consider your own approach in light of the three points of contact outlined below. These are the main components of communication plans that keep clients engaged:

Structured Review Process

The annual or semi-annual review is seen as a report card. It shows the client how they’re doing just as much as it shows them how you’re doing.

So this is an opportunity to go beyond the standard review meeting. Present performance information couched within a broader perspective on the client’s financial picture and a refresher on your methodology, resources and capabilities. It can also be helpful to introduce simple touch points both before and after the meeting, so that you can share an agenda and ask clients about new goals and life events, as well as follow up with a clarifying summary.

Shareable Content

Regardless of the medium or style of content, clients want to see that you’re paying attention on their behalf, and they want to know they can look to you for a measured assessment of what is often sensationalized and overwhelming media coverage.

Whether it’s a monthly commentary or a quarterly video, it will be most effective when it’s easily shareable. Search engines should be able to index it on your site, clients should be able to send it to friends and family easily, and all users should be able to view it on any device.

Personal Touch

Beyond your reporting and reviews, at least one aspect of your ongoing communication should be specific to the individual, especially for high-value clients. Many IAs reach out on birthdays or anniversaries, and others send reminders and notifications about tax filings and other planning points.

In any case, it’s important to establish preferred modes of contact from the beginning. During your initial client discovery, determine each client’s preferred meeting method and mode of outreach (ex. email, phone, text), to help ensure the communication you provide is supporting the relationship.