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Everyone has that long lost cousin who only shows up at holiday dinners and weddings. They pretend to be your best buddy on the one day of the year you actually connect — and it’s obnoxious. The same holds true for business contacts. It’s normal to lose touch. But, when it’s time to reconnect, be honest and enticing. Here’s how to reach out after losing touch without looking like a sleazy salesman.

Start off with a joke.

Whether you pick up the phone or send an email to someone you got a business card from at a sales conference last year, use humor. Poke a little fun at yourself for always being the last one to connect or that you’re still working on that nagging little procrastination problem. Hey, we’re all human. Keep the initial contact light and funny.

Explain how you met.

Refresh the person’s memory of how you met and something that might have stood out to them. Recap the engaging seminar led by the loud-talking mad scientist lookalike that you both attended or the fantastic ocean-view lunch you shared. Simply stating your name and business often isn’t enough to jog the memory.

Don’t be best buddies.

The best way to turn someone off is to assume you have more of a connection that you really have. Remember, they didn’t contact you during this time lapse, and there may have been a reason. Once you break the ice and have their attention, move into professional mode ASAP.

Talk about why you’re reaching out.

Dive right into what made you call or message. Did you start a new project that they would be interested in knowing about? Do you value (um, need) their expertise? Did you read something they wrote and have a product that could ease their pain points? Explain exactly why you’re reaching out now and what prompted you to take action.

Offer a deal.

Don’t make the connection all about you, even if you are looking for something in return. Balance the conversation. For example, if you think they could lend valuable insight as you develop a new product or sales strategy, explain the benefits they will gain too. Maybe they get co-credit on a promotional piece or their logo will show up as a sponsor on your free ebook. Remember: People want to know what’s in it for them.

Just do it.

Stop wavering. You’ve already waited week, months — gasp!–years. If you’re going to contact someone from the past, make it happen. You have a 50-50 chance they will also be glad for the reconnect. If you want to skip the usual social media mail or voicemail routine, send a handwritten note in the mail. The extra effort will get noticed.

Ready to knock the dust off that old relationship? Paper Direct has every type of business stationery you can imagine, from logo-printed letterhead to postcards. Browse the Business Communication store online before another few weeks lapse.

We are living in an increasingly automated world. Marketing automation in particular has taken the marketing and sales world by storm, helping us save time and – if we do it right – improve conversions and sales through highly customized outreach efforts.

The downside to all this automation, though, is that some marketers and sales professionals are getting less personal with their clients and prospective customers. The points at which we interact directly with our customers and prospective clients are called “touchpoints,” and can be anything from a letter to an email to a message on social media to a phone call. They can even be literal touch points, like when you shake hands and meet in person, or make an acquaintance at a conference and pass along your business card.

If you’re in a business with lots of competition – and even if you aren’t! – standing out from the crowd with regards to how you interact with customers at these touchpoints can be critical. Being memorable often means getting creative, and thinking outside the box for ideas that will stick with your prospective customers.

Here are some creative ideas for making a lasting impression at a variety of touchpoints throughout the sales process.

Join a club, community organization, or board

Better yet, join one that has relevant ties to your business. This can give you an opportunity to interact and network with prospective clients in a more relaxed setting.

Sponsor and host a special event

By giving individuals an opportunity to meet and mingle with others in their field or industry, you help them create connections, fostering good will. It also gives you a unique touchpoint opportunity.

Create and record a podcast

On a topic that could be helpful to your customers or prospective customers, and use it as a reason to reach out. You’ll be providing something interesting and worthwhile for them, not just contacting them out of the blue, which puts you on firmer footing.

Cards

Send custom, heartfelt cards to customers on their birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. The personal touch will feel warm and friendly, and it gives you an opportunity to put yourself and your business at top of mind.

Similarly, write a letter, just because

Be tactful – sending a personal letter to a customer or contact you barely know may not be a great idea. But if you have a longstanding history with them, a personal letter just to say hello and wish them the best can leave a warm, positive feeling that resonates long after they finish reading.

Don’t send gifts – make a donation in their honor. A great way to show a customer you truly understand them is not necessarily to send a generic gift basket at the holidays. Instead, make a donation to a cause that matters to them. It shows you care, both about others and about what they find important.

Provide free mentorship

Your customers and prospective clients are likely used to hearing from you when you are interested in selling something. Shake things up and instead, offer free coaching or mentorship on a topic that matters to them. You’ll be creating an opportunity to interact with them closely while also showing your positivity and engendering more good will.

Make your business card stick out

Nothing says “forget about me!” like a business card that looks like every single other business card your customer has ever seen. Sometimes, all you have is a quick hello and an exchange of business cards to make an impression. Ensure your business card leaves a lasting impression by thinking outside the box, with regards to color, size, texture, typography, and more.

Personalize your transactional correspondence

Many of us send automated sales messages before, during, and after a sale has been made. Most of these are generic in nature. Instead, make them custom to the client. It may seem like a small detail, but it can really stick with them, and make them feel like more than a number.

Automated marketing and sales processes are wonderful in a lot of ways, no doubt about that. But when it comes to precise touchpoints for interacting with our customers, a personal, customized touch can go a long way. Use these creative sales ideas to inject some personality into your process and see what a difference it makes with your customers and prospective clients alike!

“A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person,” Amazon founder Jeff Bezos once said. “You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.”  

Any time a potential lead or current client engages with your brand, they are interacting with one of your company’s touch points. Whether a customer is visiting your website or receiving an e-newsletter, any engagement a person has with your business is considered a client touch point. Communicating your brand messaging through client touch points is a large, challenging endeavor that pays off enormously though when executed thoughtfully and creatively.

E-mails

Weekly updates, monthly newsletters, and personalized check-ins are just a few ways a business can transform e-mail into a useful client touch point. With the widespread adoption of smartphones, people are connected to email 24/7, which means you have all day, every day to harness the possibilities of this client touch point.

Direct Mail

Have you noticed that your snail mail inbox always has communications from businesses waiting for you? That’s because direct mail is an effective way to reach out to customers. It might seem like a dated client touch point, but direct mail still gets the job done and drives business your way.

Just think of all those Bed, Bath, and Beyond direct mail coupons you have stashed away in a drawer somewhere. 

Note Cards

There are few communication options that say as much as a handwritten note card. Maybe you’re expressing gratitude or offering congratulations, but whatever you jot down on a company branded note card will speak volumes to the level of service your business provides. It’s a quick, simple gesture that is an effective use of this client touch point.

Social Media

A real-time strategy for brand communication, social media is a client touch point that spans numerous channels, from Facebook to Instagram. There are so many methods for utilizing these digital client touch points and, the opportunities for engagement, lead generation, and sales are innumerable. While social media might seem like a way young people waste their time, it’s a crucial client touch point that brands should not ignore.

Website

Your company’s website serves not only as a hub for everything about your brand, but as a crucial client touch point. A client will visit your website for any number of reasons, from seeking help to researching services, so it’s instrumental to make this portal user-friendly, attractively designed, and built to meet a client’s every needs.

Webinars

Webinars are unique in that they offer a client a way to directly interact without leaving their office. Putting on a Webinar or other meeting can be a great way to reach those customers in a light and helpful way.

Support Services

It should never be challenging for your client to receive an answer to a question or complete an order. Support services available via phone, email, chat client, even Twitter are one of the most necessary client touch points your brand can implement. You never want a lead or customer to feel as though your business isn’t supporting their needs.

Physical Location

The brick-and-mortar location of your business is an often overlooked client touch point but whether you’re in an office or a store, your space represents your brand. Imagine what Google’s clients see when they visit their offices in California. Design your physical client touch point as the geographical spot that represents your company.

Meetups

Meetups could include networking events, a lunch and learn, or a sponsored happy hour. Meeting in a casual way can help you get your foot in the door before seriously pitching your product or service.

Transactional Correspondence

How do you communicate with a customer prior to, during, and following a purchase with your business? From messaging on order confirmations to shopping cart item reminders, transactional correspondence is an active method for businesses to meet their clients’ needs. These are ideal places to also include additional product and/or service recommendations to increase your sales.

Call Centers

In an age where most people seem to communicate via email, text message, or social media messenger, many clients still want a phone number to call whenever a question, concern, or suggestion is required. Making a call to a help center offers more instantaneous satisfaction than waiting for a response to an email. A phone call is a client touch point that people can use for immediate gratification. There’s a reason you dial 911 when there’s an emergency instead of sending a text.

Printed Marketing Materials

Yes, we live in a digital world but physical takeaways, such as catalogs or brochures, are an invaluable client touch point. Highlighting products and services, both the new and standard ones, in print format puts your brand literally in the hands of decision makers.