Every Sunday I go out for dinner with my wife. Some might call this unspontaneous; I call it managed intimacy! My recommendation is that you do the same; not necessarily with your partners (that’s your choice), but with your customers.
I make this point: No centre owner or franchisee should have more than 300 customers on their database. Why? Simply put, it’s impossible to build meaningful relationships with any more than that. Or to put it another way, you can’t be intimate with everyone – you are not Casanova!
So, let’s break it down
Your top 10-20 customers are your most valuable relationships. You know them. You call them regularly. You take them to lunch. You remember their business goals, their birthday, even their dog’s name.
These are your business bears!
For the next 20, 30 or 40 customers though, there needs to be what is called managed intimacy. These customers are not your inner circle but they are incredibly important to your business.
For them you should schedule a call every six weeks or so and put it in your calendar. Ask questions like:
- How are things going?
- What was the weekend like?
- Did you go cycling (because I know you like doing that sort of thing)?
- What’s coming up for you this quarter?
- Are you repeating last year’s promo – that one was brilliant!
This is managed intimacy; planned interaction that feels natural and caring.
Rubbing tummies
Then you have the balance of your 300 customers – the labradors. Loyal to you, but they do need their tummies rubbed. You will not have time for one-to-one interaction.
What you do need to do however is have a high level of communication so that your brand is continually reinforced to the customer.
So, you send them emails, an awareness card, maybe a range brochure or catalogue or even a personalised mug! Something from you (so it feels personal) to land on their desk every month. That will keep the tails wagging!
A pre-requisite of good business management is that we need to categorise our customers. We need to be clear who’s who and plan our activity accordingly.
Why? Because relationship-building is everything in this business.
Anyway, must dash, I’ve got to book dinner with my wife!
