How to turn one-off jobs into lasting client relationships

How to turn one-off jobs into lasting client relationships is easier than you think. Turning one-off jobs into lasting relationships is, well, all about relationships.

You’ve probably heard that it’s easier to turn an existing customer into a repeat customer than it is to convert someone who has never bought from you before. Although true, many consultants focus their marketing and networking efforts on new contacts and they forget about their best source of new work–their previous clients.

Turning a one-off job into a lasting client relationship should be your goal from the get-go. Always approach your work with this in mind and you’re off to a great start. This also assumes that, when possible, you’re working with clients that are a good fit.

Of course, on occasion some business relationships are not meant to turn into lasting relationships and that’s okay. But if you’ve been pleased with the way a project went and you’d look forward to working with that client again, then it makes sense to invest time and attention into fostering the relationship.

A few tips:

Send thank you or holiday cards;
Touch base via email every so often;
Let them know that you value their business and that you’d like to work together again;
Express a genuine interest in their life and successes;
Listen to what they have to say;
Focus on the relationship, not on selling.