When Your Client Contact Gets the Pink Slip: Make Sure Your Nurturing and Relationship-Building Stay Intact

In these unpredictable economic times, it is not unusual to discover that one or more of your client contacts has been transitioned to a different role or even right-sized (aka "let go"). This can be awkward, sensitive, and personal. You may be tempted to give the contact some breathing room, and try to catch up with him again once he lands in a new position.

Think again. Put yourself in the shoes of the contact.

Cindy was a real estate professional at a Fortune 100 company. Every year, Cindy was the coveted client to spend time with at the big conferences. She was pursued by AEC owners and business development professionals, all of whom sought to get more business with her firm. In a mass layoff a few years ago, her position was eliminated. Once she was in job transition, Cindy experienced a shift in the dynamics. At that point, she discovered which relationships were sincere, and which ones were built for the sole purpose of accessing her ability to select service providers.