When you first start freelancing, it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of finding new clients and doing great work for them, only to find out months later that they’ve decided to go with another firm instead. You don’t want this to happen, but it can easily happen if you don’t pay attention to how you manage your client relationships. To prevent this scenario from playing out, follow these eight tips to help build strong, long-term relationships with your clients so they’ll never have any reason to look elsewhere!
1) Always be honest
Honesty is critical to building a strong, long-term relationship with your clients. Often times you’ll find that your clients know they can trust you when they see you doing things like double checking their work or letting them know when you make a mistake. The act of being honest with them and showing them that it’s safe to be honest with you goes a long way in building trust.
2) Keep your word
You can’t just promise your client you’ll get an in-depth report out today and then turn around and change your mind. If you tell a client such as https://www.casinojoka.info/fr you’ll have something done by a certain date, make sure it is ready to go on that day. It may be best to leave yourself some extra time if possible (because no one is perfect). You never want to be known as someone who isn’t able to meet deadlines. The word of your company should mean something.
3) Show appreciation
Complimenting your clients on a job well done will build trust and create goodwill. Whether they handle a specific project or they’re always quick to reply to support tickets, let them know you appreciate their efforts. This doesn’t have to be a once-in-awhile occurrence either; building genuine relationships with your clients starts with small gestures every day.
4) Provide value
Every business needs a steady stream of customers to stay in business. If you give your clients something they want (and they’re willing to pay for it), you can grow your relationship with them over time.
5) Know their point of view
When you understand your clients’ point of view you can create valuable products and services for them. Take time to learn what their needs are, how they work and what they want. Be respectful of your clients’ expertise and knowledge – but also don’t be afraid to contribute your own opinion and thoughts. By putting in some hard work on each project like best australian online casino, you can ensure a strong long-term relationship with your clients will follow!
6) Listen without judgment
A lot of times we don’t listen to what people are actually saying; we’re too busy formulating a response or rehearsing a rebuttal. The next time you sit down with someone in your business network, forget about how you’re going to respond and simply listen. This can be hard to do when emotions are running high and egos are at stake.
7) Say it with actions not words
Build strong relationships with your clients through actions—like showing up on time to meetings or returning phone calls promptly. People like to feel like you’re thinking about them. Following up with thank you notes for new business (emailing after in-person meetings, calling if you’ve spoken over a lunch meeting) is a great way to show your clients that you appreciate their business and consider them people—not just sources of income.
8) Focus on results
When you focus on results (productivity) rather than hours spent in an office every day, it’s easier to develop relationships with clients that are based on mutual trust and respect. When you don’t feel like you’re spending your valuable time with a client trying to collect payment or log their progress—and instead feel that you’re working together to move toward a meaningful goal—you can establish and nurture long-term relationships much more easily.
