I am interested in knowing the most commonly used method for communicating with your existing/potential/internal customers.

These days there are tons of ways to get information around.. but what is the number one thing that you depend on to reach your customer..

IM/Forums/SharePoint/Email/Phone??

I think a create an informative newsletter could work well for both existing/potential/customers,  not selling but answer their questions, create their needs, gives solutions to their problems.

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You give no details about your business, so it is difficult to say. Every business and segment of customers uses different types of communication as a preference.

You should find out what they are using instead of asking them to use something you want to use. That is what works.

The options you have available are expanding everyday - so with that respect you just have to stay ahead, find out where your customers are putting their attention as opposed to asking them to put it somewhere.

E.g. depending on your market, customers will spend more time on linkedin.com or facebook.com for their socializing.

Find out what your customers do, then follow...

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For my company I try and make every available line of communication open. Since I started a relationship based type biz, it makes it easier for me because a lot of lines (e-mail, phone, IM, twitter) are easy to check from anywhere.

Methods to reach customers/ clients can vary from company to company. What may work for one company might not work for another. Then you do have many companies that use some of the same methods. Some would say that email, open forums or micro-blogging (twitter, friend feed etc…) is best.  Where are your customers? What forms of communication do they respond to best? Strategies to communicate with, retain and show appreciation to your clients shouldn't be to overly complex. Many times it involves a coordinated effort of various marketing techniques.

Depending on the type of business that you have, that really could determine the best method for reaching your customers.  How are you communicating with your clients now? How are they reaching out to you and you reaching out to them? You’d have to try different methods and analyze each one to find the best way of reaching your clients. Sometimes your methods could change over time. But it’s good to keep track of them, analyze them & improve your methods. You could utilize blogs, interactive websites (forums), social media, email marketing, e-newsletters, face-to-face feedback, special reports etc… It’s all about your strategy & planning.  Communication is highly important & your strategies can be simple or multifaceted. But make sure that your message is relevant, meaningful and applicable.

A modern day CRM.., Web based so you can access it everywhere.   Most CRM applications allow you to setup a sales flow, will remind you when to call and what to do next.  integrate with your calendar, tasks, email, and other business tools. 

The "cloud" is your friend... :)

Let me know if I can help.

Phil

yes, get your hands on an effective CRM process. This should go a long way in helping you communicate effectively with all kinds of customers.