When I receive phonecalls from suppliers and potential suppliers, I often find myself bristling because they’re simply looking – pestering me – for work. I can’t wait to put the phone down, don’t remember their names, I rarely remember their services.

This got me thinking – how do you keep in touch with clients, contacts and potential clients without driving them mad? Where do you draw the line between ‘keeping your company top of mind’ and stepping over into smother mode?

This is something that I struggle with on a daily basis – “How can you communicate with clients without feeling like you’re a ‘pest’. In short, their conclusions were:

• Be relevant
• Be respectful
• Be of some value

Everyone is hungry for information – you just need a tool to pass that information on in an entertaining and non-confrontational manner.

If your company doesn’t have a newsletter or eNewsletter, there’s never been a better time to start (just don’t make the newsletter all about you). Google Alerts can provide you with useful and up-to-date tidbits that you can pass on to clients and colleagues.

If you haven’t gotten your head around Twitter, now is the time to do so. It’s a goldmine of information that you can pass on (however, you need a STRATEGY to get it right.

Most of all, remember that there’s nothing wrong with a little self-promotion. If they don’t know about you, they can’t turn to you. Just don’t turn them off with too much information.

Posted by Dana Minter

Image by BarelyFitz via Flickr (pity Gwinnett County, Georgia doesn’t have a sign proofreader)