Blogging, instagram, facebook, twitter, mail chimp or constant contact, old school letters - what is the best way to connect with your customers today? Technology is rapidly changing and I feel a bit lost. I want to reach out to my network and drum up business - but how do I go about that using what is hot in technology and communication today? Thoughts? Suggestions?

I think it depends on what type of business your involved with.

Since you’re a new member perhaps you could elaborate a bit.

...and welcome.

Lots of us don’t use any of that facebook or twatter crap. Spam emails annoy me.

I guess it depends on the product you sell and the audience you want to reach.

quote:

what is the best way to connect with your customers today?

My impression is 'my customers' already told me the best way to be contacted. So much spam/robocalls/other noise of fecal material posing as legitimate marketing are not welcomed by a large percent of potential customers. Successful trolling & chumming otherwise congested communication channels for selective customers has a lot of variables. Many regard the mere method of contact regardless of potential content, to be objectionable.

It really depends on your business and your target audience.

My wife is in Real Estate. Yelp works for us because it's a local business and customer service translates well into reviews.

We "connect" with our previous customers by staying their friends. We go to kids birthdays, we show them new restaurants, we introduce them to board games.

We use Instagram (and by extension, Facebook) to post positive activity to show that we are busy--nobody wants a Real Estate Agent with cobwebs across their doorway. Instagram is aspirational, so we focus on moments (and pictures) that others aspire to and can support. Our posts of big beautiful houses are less engaging than the posts about new homeowners or congratulating our clients for life events and achievements.

The vast majority or our business is referrals. We get referrals from wherever people talk and engage each other. We get referrals from Yelp, of course, but people talk about us in local mom groups on Facebook, see us on their friend's Instagram, and we even got a client who was referred to is by our blog, as he read an article we had wrote.

As said, it depends on the business. There is communication and then there is connection. I am a commercial lawyer, with a specialty in start-ups and growth companies. I'm in solo practice. For me, networking for trusted referrals is the best way to attract clients, and then personal communication, by way of a coffee, lunch, hand written letter, email, or phone call is the best way to keep in touch.

If you are in a business where relationships matter and want some form of service or support for your efforts, I would look into Send Out Cards, which is old school mail, done through a very convenient online interface, that is hugely customizable.

I you are interested, I have a friend who is a SOC consultant and I could introduce you. I am not involved in the business, and don't get any sort of referral fee for it, but I like and respect the service.

For me, the personal touch is far more effective than the email or text blast, because I know that thought went into the communication.

Get the fuck out of my forum

A couple of tips for you guys- look at the wording of this question. Also, don't you find the whole thing odd? No introduction, and this vague, generic question? Know what would have been next? Links to bullshit that "Lucy" wants to drive traffic to.

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Originally posted by parabellum:
Get the fuck out of my forum

I was waiting for that

Strange first post...

When you see stuff like this, report it to me. Don't let the registration date fool you.

quote:

Originally posted by HellFireLucy:
what is the best way to connect with your customers today?

My foot in your sleazy ass. I'll connect so good, you won't sit down for a month.

quote:

Thoughts? Suggestions?

I think you suck at this and I suggest that you find a real job. Most of your sleazy ilk get some shit link up for at least a few minutes, but you suck at this.

Well Lucy got her hell fire LOL...

FIOS Verizon out of Boston, Mass.

"Lucy" want you to tell her about "hot technology". For the love of...

Fuckin A, Para. Iron fist on that BS.

Her interests are being an asshole!

So, I start reading this 6-8 hours after the first post. I notice it is the first post for the poster. I notice the cut "banned spammer," and I move on to the thread. A few responses in, I am scratching my head trying to sort out 1 post + cut + old join date. My mind is making jumps thinking someone has attempted to create a new user that was previously banned but somehow the software outed them. I'm wondering why people are responding to someone with the cut "banned spammer," then I see para's post. Figured it out.... laughed at me, laughed at them, laughed and liked it.

Sighting of HellFireLucy:

Something tells me this isn’t Para’s first rodeo.

I don’t think there’s a close enough simile.

“Para can sniff out bullshit faster than...”

I think the cut, “banned spammer” was a well deserved title awarded at post #7.
Not his original descriptive name. Usually saved for special people.

Sleeper cell spammer, lying in wait for two years waiting for the right moment to emerge and rain down Hellfire on Sigforum!

Hah!

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Links to bullshit that "Lucy" wants to drive traffic to.

I thought Lucy was the missing link