Encourage clients to call at any time and leave them your numbers in a punchout card that fits a traditional Rolodex file. Despite the unrelenting force of high technology in most executives' lives, nobody has yet abandoned the Rolodex. Count on that. Think of your best clients daily and how you can bump their top line by suggesting key executives for positions on industry boards or panels. Don't be afraid to ask them for help.
Nothing cements a relationship like the rare plea for assistance.
It creates a feeling that the executive now has something at stake. When your competition has never been closer to key customers, asking permission rather than forgiveness makes a lot of sense. The Cincinnati Enquirer , a Gannett Co. Inc. newspaper.