We are all agreed that a key component of a referral based business is communicating with your contacts. Whether they visit a website, read an email, get a phone call or receive a card in the mail the challenge is to insure that the recipient appreciates the communication. I can honestly say that I personally get a significant amount of “communications” that never make it past my trash can, delete box or answering machine. So why do I welcome some and discard others? For me it is all about the content.

• Content needs to be of interest to the recipient. Anyone who has talked hobbies with me knows that I love to watch baseball but never football, love animals, watch Warehouse 13 & NCIS but hate horror flicks, etc, etc, etc. So sending me a football schedule makes it clear that you know nothing about me, that we have probably never really talked, and that I do not know you.
• Content needs to be relevant to the recipient. Providing information on school districts to seniors looking for a home is usually not necessary. In fact, it may have an unintended negative impact. After all, what will they do with it? If they are buying a home – vs selling a home – what is true about the district today has no value. Providing information on senior activity centers, groups and demographics is information they both need and want.
• Content needs to be accurate & timely. My birthday is December 16th and I am not – nor ever have been – married. Sending me a card in November – or a wedding anniversary card ever – only underlines a lack of knowledge and/or care.

The media in which content is delivered should vary – but in all cases content is king. If the recipient does not want, need or value the information why should they continue to dialog with you or refer you to anyone they know? After all, you have underlined the fact that you do not know them, understand their needs or value their priorities.