I work in a service firm as a marketing executive. I need to come out with as many marketing ideas as possible to build good relationship with customers before passing over potential customers to the sales department. Currently we send our company info, sometimes hampers and small souvenirs to keep in touch with potential customers. what else can i do to build strong relationship with our ‘to be customers’? I also have to monitor the progress after the sales dept take over – so the bind between me and the customer is a continuous one…whereby i have to keep coming out with new ideas all the time.

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Jay’s Answer: Find out what your customers need, and give it to them (even if it’s not services/products from your company!). Your prospects don’t initially need your company info, hampers, nor souvenirs – they want their problems solved. Get clear on what their underlying problem is, have them place a price tag on it, and offer solutions that clearly (and in a proven way) address their issue. That’s a service worth talking about to ones’ friends.