Much like in any other business setting, maintaining relationships with service providers in the domain industry is critical. Whether you schedule one on one meetings at a domain conference (or many) or you exchange periodic emails with account managers, I think it’s important to stay in touch with your service providers.
There are many issues that can affect a person’s registrar account or parking account. The need for unlocked domain names, EPP codes that aren’t sent or don’t work, bulk transfers out or in, passwords that don’t work, credit card payments that aren’t made, change of address or payment address, and countless other issues. Most of these can be resolved with the help of customer support, but sometimes extra help is need to cut through red tape or resolve issues more quickly. Having a relationship with the company can expedite things.
I am friendly with a number of account managers with whom I do business, and this has helped innumerable times. Instead of waiting for an answer or for support, I email or call my account manager to have things resolved quickly. There’s nothing like closing a huge deal to find something out of my control is holding things up.
There are a number of ways to establish a relationship with your service providers, and I’ve highlighted some below. Feel free to add some of your ideas about connecting:
- Attend a domain/SEO/leads conference that the company is also attending and schedule a meeting.
- Email your assigned account manager and introduce yourself.
- Connect on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter
- Call the company and ask to speak with an account manager
- Attend company-sponsored events and meet ups
No matter whether you have a large account or a small account, or whether you have an assigned account manager or not, you should establish a personal relationship with companies with whom you do business. You may not have an outstanding issue today, but when you do have a problem, you’ll have someone to call.
Elliot,
You are spot on.
It sounds quite elementary. But you’d be surprise how many of us don’t do that either out of laziness, ignorance, or lack of organization. If you drive you need car insurance. Likewise, if you do business, or is currently employed, you need to keep in touch with your network of contacts.
That said, I don’t keep in touch with most of my past clients. Shame on me. That’s another reason why I remain poor. ๐
@ Uncle
Staying in touch with past clients is also wise. When you acquire names past clients might like to purchase, they should be your first person to email.
And yet, you didn’t include in your list sending reminder/notification e-mails when their favourite sports teams drop in the standings. For me- that’s always been a real relationship bonder ๐
@ Christie
Damn… thought I banned Canadian IP addresses.
Hello Elliot
Your article was so down to earth & ideal. Certainly it was very important to stay in touch with our previous clients moreover from our staff members also. Somehow due to lack of time we have been skipped this prominent step. I will try my best to adopt this article in my life. Thanking you