We frequently fail to recognize some of the individuals who are standing right in front of us, and these individuals are our clients. I’m aware operating a business is a time-consuming endeavor; yet, it is essential to keep in mind that building relationships is a continuing effort.
There are a variety of methods in which you can demonstrate your commitment to your clients. Every relationship relies on open lines of communication. It’s important you create trust and let your clients know that you are there for them at all times. Keeping a good working relationship with the clients is essential if you want them to keep coming back for more. When you're establishing a connection with someone, you need to get a sense of their goals and dive deep into why they need your support.
In this article we are going to focus on how we, as business owners, build better relationships with our clients:
Focus on Communication
Positive energy for your clients
Treat your Client as an Individual
Share Knowledge
Exceed Expectations
Understand your clients goals and values
Speak your clients language
Use Project Delivery Tools
Develop Appreciation for your clients
Focus on Communication
Effective communication should be a priority. When everyone is busy focusing on getting work done, communication can be lacking. This is why it's important to clearly and consistently communicate throughout the time together with your client. Make it clear at the beginning how you will work with your client, how you will communicate with them and give them options on what type of communication is best for them.
Communicating with your clients will make them feel that you are them for them and for them only. When they know you are there, they will feel more at peace with the work and relationship that's had.
As business owners, we get so focused on getting the work done, lose track of time and therefore lose track of communication. Please don't leave your client in the dark. For example: your client calls to ask a question or get some information, you then say you would call them back in about an hour. Well they are waiting for you to call them back and then never hear back from you. I know you are not trying to forget but you need to be mindful of how the client feels.
Communication builds trust, makes your client feel comfortable, makes your client feel heard. They should feel their needs and concerns will be taken seriously.
Positive Energy for YOUR Clients
We, as business owners, are responsible for so much that goes on inside of our business. At times we may experience stress or be overwhelmed but it's vital to show up for your clients in a positive manner.
Bring the energy and confidence; enthusiasm is an attractive personality trait people enjoy being around therefore your clients will be happy for the work you're doing for them.
Treat YOUR Client as an Individual
I can't stress this point enough.. Your client is more than a number. Recognizing you care about your client as a person and not just as a paycheck can go a long way in your professional relationship. Your industry, type of client, and the individual will determine how much of a personal relationship is possible.
Share Knowledge
Don't just say well that's how it's done and leave it at that. People want to know the ins and outs of what's going on. Yes, there may be some that just brush it to the side or that don't really care about the ins and outs but more often than not they want to know.
The client may feel disconnected from the process if they do not understand your area of expertise. This is your opportunity to share information (educate) that will help your client understand what you do which will build trust in the process. Explain to your client what you did, why you did and how you came to your decision to help them feel in the loop.
Exceed Expectations
One of the best ways to build strong client relationships is to develop a reputation as an independent professional who delivers outstanding results. Make sure you don't oversell yourself and promise unrealistic results.
By setting reasonable expectations, you give yourself the opportunity to completely impress the client with the final project and position yourself as someone they would like to continue to work with.
Understand your Clients Goals and Values
To succeed, you'll need to understand your clients. The ability to understand your clients goals will help to build a relationship of trust and mutual respect.
To find out what your clients value, always listen to what they say and how they say it. You are then able to approach your clients to match their expectations.
Some people will want a lot of personal contact with your business which means you would need to give them attention because if you don't, you’ll end up losing that client. Keep a running list of who wants to connect. Now on the other hand, there are some that just want to touch base only when it's needed such as appointments or sales. You have to get that information when you first meet with your client that would be during the intake process.
Speak Your Clients Language
Successful business owners can adapt to their clients style and preferred method of communication instead of sticking only with tools they feel most comfortable with. Remember this is about YOUR client, not you! For example, your client may prefer video or choose to text, or email. Whatever the case may be, provide that communication.
Make sure you are keeping track of all the details of your client so when it comes to interacting with them, there's no mishap.
Use Project Delivery Tools
Organizing project delivery is key to making a positive impression on clients. Use tools that help you deliver your work professionally from beginning to end such as your invoices, documents, proposals and any work that is being delivered. Having set tools and a good organizational system in place will show your clients that you have your act together.
Consider clients and determine what would be valuable to them. It could be as simple as delivering the project in a certain format, hand delivering the materials or getting on a call with them to go over everything.
Develop Appreciation
While establishing client boundaries is important, there are times when going above and beyond can help your business. Keep limits in place but be on the lookout for moments when you can go the extra mile.
If you’ve been in the business for years, it can be easy to get stuck with old habits. Instead. consider each client situation individually and don't be afraid to adjust your work process. Some clients may really value hands-on access and want to be included in each stage of your processes. Some clients may really value hands-on access and want to be included in each stage of your process, whereas others may simply prefer a written documentation of what you've accomplished.
Final thoughts
Remember communication is key to establish a trustworthy relationship, talk to you clients to get a feel for what they value most and then incorporate their preferences into your workflow. A little bit of thoughtful listening can go far in building respect and appreciation. Treat your clients like people and not just money coming in the door.
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