Today’s guest post is by Adria Saracino.
When you’re a marketer, having “people skills” is more than just a line from Office Space.
Interacting effectively with clients is pretty much make-or-break for your career.
Do well with one client, and he’s bound to send you more customers. Do poorly, and, yeah, forget about it.
Still, the term “problem client” exists for a reason, and there are days when even the best clients can grate on that very last nerve.
As frustrating as these moments can be, I’ve often found the problem comes back to a breakdown in communication somewhere along the line, particularly when it comes to expectations on both sides.
For maximum productivity and minimal drama in a working relationship, following are a few tips for effectively managing client expectations.
Because, you know…you don’t want to be like Tom from Office Space.
Problem #1: Misconceptions about the Project
You’re good at your job. You might even be an expert, having helped hundreds of customers in very particular and potentially patented ways. Sometimes, in the rush to get through the day, this can lead to assumptions about a client which may or may not be true.
You might, for instance, think a pizza joint you’ve just signed has a similar business model to the burger joint whose business you tripled, and proceed with similar techniques, only to find the client unhappy with the result. What to do?
Solution: Invest Time in Getting to Know One Another
I can’t emphasize this enough: Every client is unique. Taking the time to figure out how they tick is not an optional activity. Take them out to coffee, fly to their city, do what you need to do to get in front of them.. Just get them into the same room, pay them attention, and have a full conversation.
I often find it’s best to start with a casual chat, as this gives me a good sense of what the brand is about — its strategy, its voice, and all of those essentials the client may know subconsciously, but may not pop to the surface with questions such as, “Can you define your brand for me?”
Then get a little more concrete, as outlined in the section below. The more complete the picture of your client, the more likely you will be to deliver a product or service that actually feels right.
Pro Tip: Take Them Out for Beers.
Trust me, looser inhibitions and a non-work setting really helps solidify the relationship.
Problem #2: Goals are Too Diffuse
Let’s say you had a great first session with your client, and you brainstormed passionately about routes forward. Perhaps your discussion was, ermh, a little too passionate, as that idea web expanded onto several sheets. Then the meeting ended, and you were both left with a million different ideas, but no clear route forward. Progress: Halted. Action plan: Non-existent. Project status: Not good.
Solution: Agree on Specific Deliverables, and Deliver on Them
It’s time to get specific both in what you’ll do together and how you’ll do it. Your first step is to outline clear deliverables with timelines and due dates. Set the big goals, then break them down into achievable benchmarks, allowing room to adjust as things change.
After this is set, establish operating procedures with a clear contract. How quickly can your client expect you to respond to emails? What kind of extras do you offer if they’re not happy with the initial work? Clients often need coaching not just for the subject matter at hand, but also in working with you, especially as they may not have employed anyone quite like you in the past. So, make it clear, write it down, and stick to what you say.
Pro Tip: Follow-up with a Brief Email Outlining Next Steps and Actions.
Problem #3: Client is Frequently “Checking In”
Ever heard of a helicopter parent? Yeah, there are helicopter clients, too. These are clients who just keep “checking in” to see how things are going, effectively interrupting any workflow you have going on their project. Or, even worse, they might freak out and redirect the course of the project when they see unfinished work too early after pushing you for more insight.
Solution: Give Your Client Real-Time Project Updates
While presenting work in its earliest form isn’t ideal, keeping your clients in the loop with little samples of your work so far – as well as with instant project updates – can be an effective way to satiate their appetite for progress. For this, you’ll really find life is a lot easier when you get in the cloud.
Share a project board with your client using a tool such as Basecamp or Trello, where you can lay out all of your tasks with due dates and send your client automatic emails as you complete them. Sharing documents and spreadsheets through Google Drive is another option, as your client will see you editing work in the project stream. And never underestimate the power of setting a weekly update meeting to discuss progress.
Problem #4: Client Feels Disconnected and Not Cared For
Despite all of these efforts, your clients still may feel disconnected. Frustrating as it may be, it’s also perfectly understandable. We all communicate in different ways, and while you may feel you’re paying them enough attention, it may not be in quite the way that makes them personally feel assured. This deeper disconnect can feed any of the problems discussed previously.
Solution: Communicate Religiously
As tempting as it may be to funnel all of your communication through email, take the time to get to know your clients’ preferred communication style. A good rule of thumb is to prioritize in-person meetings first, then face-to-face virtual hangouts using a tool such as Google+ Hangouts, Skype, or GoToMeeting. After that, go to the phone, then email.
But again, some clients will prefer different methods and different lines will be better for different tasks. For example, an in-depth, bulleted email may be a good way to lay out important points before a phone meeting, while a video chat may be the best way to smooth things over when a client raises a concern. No matter, make sure to invest time into communication, rather than brushing it aside as a tertiary matter.
Problem #5: You Start Out Strong…and then Drift
Whether a company’s goals change or great communication slowly slips, project drift is a common issue. What was once a well-oiled machine is now a lazy one, and the project is lollygagging along indefinitely.
Solution: Regularly Evaluate and Reevaluate Expectations
Yes, setting goals is essential. The same, too, for timelines. But marketing is about more than simply spreading the word to customers. In fact, for many companies it’s a process of discovery – one that can tell them things about their business and their target audience they never knew they needed to know.
If that process isn’t managed properly, you can end up tacking on extra goals and chasing down rabbit holes until your efforts are spread far too thin. Or, to the contrary, you can find yourself forcing a project into rigid goals that no longer apply, with poor results. Rather than letting this happen, set regular reevaluation meetings with your client to reset and refocus goals. It’s okay to change direction, just as long as you do so in a controlled manner.
Like it or not, effectively managing client expectations is one of the single most important things a marketer can do – one that should be treated like any other task on your very long list. Take the time to get it right, and an easy, effective, productive dynamic will be yours, as well as a job well done and referrals to boot.
Adria Saracino is the head of outreach at Distilled. When not consulting on PR and content strategy, you can find her writing about style on her personal fashion blog, The Emerald Closet.