A reader from Montana e-mailed me for advice on what he could do "to make his clients love him." "It's easy," I quipped, "all you have to do is cut your rates in half." That may be one way to make your clients love you, but I suspect that what he was really looking for was a sure-fire way to maintain client loyalty and make money in the process.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the days when a client hired any vendor just because they did a good job and he or she liked working with them is over. When selecting vendors, many buyers have adopted a bean counter mentality and purchasing agent practices. They begin this process by constructing elaborate purchase order barriers and implementing complex payment procedures that are used as excuses for not paying us (and their other suppliers) in a reasonable time frame. One Fortune 500 ex-client of mine used a multipage, quadruplicate purchase order (PO) form for a simple photo shoot, but still took three months to pay me. When I asked where my money was, they told me that provisions of the PO were only enforceable regarding my performance, not theirs.

It should come as no surprise to regular Synapses readers that I think the key to building client loyalty is clear and hassle-free communication, contrary to the way business as usual is headed. In the past, I've recommended Marketing 101 solutions such as regular client contact via direct mail and telephone, but there are also some purely digital solutions available. One of them is the business-card-sized CD-ROMs, like the ones available from Disc Makers. These tiny discs can hold up to 250MB of data, and instead of telling clients about your goods and services, it lets them see a multimedia presentation showing what you have to offer. At 500 discs for $1,995 (unit costs go down as quantities increase), these small discs are another tool in your marketing mix to build client loyalty.

We tend to think that everyone is as technically sophisticated as we are, but that's not always true. Many clients are using Windows 95, Windows 3.1, and yes there may still be some DOS users out there. More than a few Mac OS users are running System 7.0! But almost every business customer has a CD-ROM drive, and instead of having to drive them to your Web site, handing or mailing them a tiny disc will almost guarantee that it gets placed in their computer, if only for the novelty of seeing what these little discs can do. Even if it's not used as intended, it can function as a standard business card printed on one side.

No matter what techniques you use to build client loyalty, remember that your success and income derive from your own skill, talent, and hard work. Your client may posses those same abilities, but because of corporate downsizing can find themselves out of a job without 24 hours notice. For these folks, the days of the corporate rocking chair have long since passed. Just ask the 12,800 people at Qwest (formerly US West) that are scheduled to get the axe. This only underscores the need to keep in touch with your clients and, if possible, develop more than one good contact at each client firm.

Joe Farace is the author of more than 20 books which draw on his experience as a SOHO photographer and graphic designer.