If you haven’t lived alone on a remote island for half of your life, you know that meaningful relationships don’t just happen. They take time, effort, and sacrifice as you establish authentic connections.

The same is true when it comes to client relationships. 

Long-term, loyal clients don’t just find their way into your CRM system. Building a growing base of happy clients who trust you and your services takes significant time and intention, month after month, year after year. Dubbed “nurturing” by marketing gurus, we at Levitate see it a little more ol’ fashioned. We see it simply as treating folks right — being kind, authentic, helpful, and dependable. 

And while it’s not a complicated playbook — slow and steady prospect and client engagement is a solid game plan for building great relationships. Plus, if done right over time with the right tools, small businesses will enjoy a boost in satisfied clients, sales, and loyalty.

At Levitate, we’re in it for the long game — and we can’t get enough of cheering Lev users on as they realize the benefits of nurturing client relationships over time.

4 Reasons to Nurture Client Relationships Long Term 

1. You stay top of mind. 

Staying top of mind is paramount for every small business but even more critical for companies that go years between transactions. Think real estate agents, mortgage lenders, financial planners, accountants… 

When you strategically plan, write, and email valuable content to clients, like industry updates, simple check-ins, or holiday greetings, you stay current and top of mind when your services are needed. Plus, with a median ROI of 122%, email is an easy and cost-effective way to keep in touch. 

And don’t worry. Email isn’t going anywhere. According to a study by Twilio SendGrid, 97% of people – across generations – consider email essential, followed by text messages and social media. 

2. You build trust by helping in tough times. 

We’ve seen it all in recent years — natural disasters, war, inflation, a pandemic, volatile market conditions in finance and real estate, proposed legislation that impacts your clients’ wallets (and even reversals of such legislation). 

The world is constantly changing, regardless of your industry, and it’s not always for the better. When times are tough, and you’re in a position to couple compassionate guidance with expert advice, clients won’t soon forget. In the future, you can rest assured knowing your name will be in the mix when they have a question, need assistance, or are contemplating a life change.

3. You establish yourself as an industry expert.

Your clients can’t (and likely don’t care to) follow everything going on in your industry — but they do want news and updates that directly impact their lives. When you dedicate time to creating email content that’s concise, timely, and helpful, you soon become their go-to when they — or someone they know — has questions or needs your assistance. 

It’s important to note that nurturing long-term client relationships isn’t sending a mass-blast email and hoping for the best. To do it right, you’ll need the best tools.

4. You lay the groundwork for future communication.

When friends and loved ones reach out to you, send birthday greetings, and remember important milestones in your life, you're more likely to listen when they want to talk about something more serious.

The same is true in your professional relationships with clients. A slow and steady drip of friendly connection through periodic check-ins, heartfelt (or humorous) birthday wishes, and sharing relevant industry updates sets the stage for smoother interactions during renewal periods or when fees increase.

If clients only hear from you when financial transactions are imminent, convincing them of your genuine care becomes an even harder sell. Not to mention that checking in more often can also lead to more business throughout the year. 

Nurturing Made Simple and Authentic

Nurturing relationships isn’t new, but it can be time-consuming. That’s where Levitate comes in, leveraging advancements in technology and AI to “treat folks right” at scale and, in some cases, automatically. 

• With average open rates 2-3x higher than competitors, we’re pretty sure your clients will open (and love) Levitate emails, keeping you top of mind all year long. 
• In tough times, we’re thankful to be able to create timely and sensitive content that connects at scale. It’s not uncommon for our content team to write emails and social within hours of a hurricane, major market update, or significant tax law change. The bottom line is this: Our content team is on standby to create content (sometimes in as little as 2-3 hours) to compassionately address your client’s most pressing needs and show them you're thinking about them.
• Sending handwritten cards (written by robots with real pen!) for birthdays, holidays, and many other occasions is a nostalgic and effective way that Levitate helps you maintain connection throughout the year. You can even schedule birthday cards to go out automatically so you never miss a birthday again!
• Using automations to trigger emails at the right time -to the right clients- is a surefire way to nurture relationships without having to remember to reach out! Our automations range from simple birthday wishes all the way to new client welcome series, renewal notices, and more, so you can reach out consistently throughout the year with meaningful & personal-feeling communications.
• Scheduling social posts and email templates around your industry’s calendar saves you time and establishes you as a knowledgeable expert. We love hearing from Levitate users like Rodger Dawson, who told us, “With Levitate, I’ve been able to get a lot of good messages out to my customers with ease. And the important thing is they’re responding, and I'm getting new business.”
  

In the digital age, tools like Levitate can be a game-changer when it comes to nurturing relationships over the long term. So, whether in insurance, real estate, mortgage lending, legal, or any other industry, remember that slow and steady wins the client race and pays off in the long run. 

Want to see how Levitate can help you nurture your network more easily? Reach out for a tailored demo!

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