They say that getting a new customer costs 5x as much as keeping a current one. That’s why mastering your client relationships yields such a huge payoff.
Client relationships can be complex, but focusing a few, core elements (like establishing trust, expectation management, being proactive, and creating a personalized experience) will help you simplify things and get great results.
Trust-Building
Honestly, your clients are probably more scared of working with freelancers than you ever could be to work with them. That’s why establishing trust is so powerful.
We start building it with little things like our web presence, but it’s something that we also maintain across the life of the relationship. Here are a few ways to maintain your trusted partner status as a freelancer.
- Ask questions. Start with good onboarding questions and continue to dig for more over time. Your client’s world is always changing, so checking in for updates is a good idea (and it makes your life easier.)
- Communicate proactively. Don’t wait until something goes completely wrong to have a conversation. Let your clients know when you’re taking time off, if something is going to be late, and whether you think you need to pivot on your approach — and do it early.
- Stay organized. Clients appreciate organization, even if they aren’t organized themselves. If you’re not a naturally organized person, make heavy use of tools like CRMs, contract/document managers, and project management tools. (Covered in the Production Engine when you’re ready.)
- Show up on time. Simple to get right, but possibly a big problem if you get it wrong. Use a calendar and reminders as much as you need to.
- Connect with professional orgs in your niche. Just a few mentions will do tons of heavily lifting in you being seen as a trusted professional.
Onboarding
Your client onboarding process is a secret weapon in building great client relationships.
It’s where you have a chance to set expectations, get ahead of a lot of common problems, and establish the overall tone of your relationship (VERY hard to do once you get going).
A lot of this will depend on your niche and skillset but use these resources to get yourself started on your best system.
- Onboarding Checklist
- Client Profile (where you document important client info and their expectations)
- Active client list (a simple list of your currently active clients)
Want to practice that first email interaction with a client? Try out this simulation – Email Simulation: First Contact
If you’re uncomfortable on the phone and want to practice, come over to the Skype group and let me know. (I’m putting together a standard template to let people practice calls with each other and would love to hear what you’re looking for!)
Customer Service
We want our clients to have an outstanding customer service experience. Creating that experience is probably easier than you think.
I use a couple of basic techniques to make sure I’m on top of my clients’ needs and ahead of their expectations.
Weekly-Check Up
At the end of every week, go through your list of active clients and check that
- You’re up to date on production
- All their upcoming tasks are properly documented
- You don’t have any outstanding questions or needs
This doesn’t take as long as you’d think and it’s a chance to practice some solid expectation management if anything is going to be late or needs adjusting.
Client Check-in
Existing customers (at least the ones you see a benefit from working with) are your most valuable prospects. It’s MUCH easier to get more work from a current client than it is to start brand new with contracts, interviews, and ramp-up.
This is where being proactive in a really small way can pay off big.
Once a month, I make sure to send quick, individualized letters to all my active clients, along with a survey asking for feedback (the free version of Typepad or SurveyMonkey works, but you can drop them straight into the email too).
A client might not take the time to fill it out, but they know it’s there and I’m open to hearing from them.
My survey only has 4 questions:
- Did you have any surprise [support type you offer] challenges this month?
- On a scale of 1-10, how is your [support type you offer] working out for you?
- Are you having any of the following challenges?
- (List of challenges I address)
- Is there anything else you’d like support with?
This email is also a great time to bring up any opportunities they might’ve mentioned in the past, so occasionally check in with your Client Profile.
