An electronic-based client communication strategy can help strengthen your relationships and gain future business. But using online tools such as email and social media successfully requires a focused plan.
Improving your electronic communication skills is like going to a personal trainer to lose weight or gain muscle, says Jay Palter, principal at Palter Social Media Strategies in Edmonton. You won’t get results, he says, unless you put in some effort and follow a consistent program.
Palter offers this advice to help you build your business by using email and LinkedIn to communicate with your clients:
>Ask what clients want
Find out your clients’ preferred method of communication.
Some clients may insist on being contacted via email or a social media site, such as LinkedIn, says Palter. Others will prefer traditional in-person meetings or telephone calls.
> Watch your spelling
A “folksy” tone may be appropriate when talking with clients in person or on the phone. But it’s best to be more formal when communicating in writing.
Many advisors are not as comfortable writing to clients as they are speaking to them in person, says Palter. Just remember that to make the best impression, you should be conscious of your grammar and spelling, and avoid the use of slang.
Think of your writing style as you would your personal hygiene, he says. Just as you would never enter a client meeting with dirty fingernails and a disheveled appearance, your written “appearance” should also be clean and well groomed.
> Keep it short
When writing messages to be sent electronically to clients, Palter says, be clear and concise.
While it’s important to give a detailed or expanded answer when necessary, he says, remember that people are constantly bombarded with information and can’t always focus on long blocks of text.
> Keep the conversation going
Set a policy for returning emails and responding to comments sent via social media.
If you write a status update on LinkedIn and a client makes a comment, don’t wait three days to respond, says Palter. The conversation will be over by then. Instead, create a routine. For example, you can check LinkedIn for 10 to 15 minutes in the morning and then again at lunchtime.
Similar to a policy of returning phone calls promptly, you can promise to reply to an email by the end of the business day.
> Make small talk
You don’t have to be all business when it comes to online communication.
To avoid compliance issues, leave the financial advice for in-person meetings, says Palter. Use LinkedIn to connect with clients on a more personal level.
For example, you and your clients can create and comment on status updates on LinkedIn that have nothing to do with investments or the economy, he says. Topics might include news items or events in the client’s personal life, such as a landing new job.
By doing so, you are engaging the client in conversation and strengthening your relationship.
> Don’t be dismissive
Be careful not to make assumptions about your clients’ interest in technology.
While it’s well known that a higher proportion of younger people prefer to do everything electronically, says Palter, there are many people in older age groups using online tools for the same reasons their children or grandchildren do.
Familiarizing yourself with the various types of communications can help you prepare for wealth transfers, he says. When your clients leave their wealth to their children, you will be ready to communicate with them on their terms.
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