Client Relationships
“When all things are equal, client hire their friends. And when things are not equal, they still hire their friends!”
– Don Sherman
“I don’t care how much you know until I know how much you care.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
Contrary to what we might like to believe, our clients don’t select the best-qualified firms. They shortlist the best-qualified firms and then they hire someone they trust.
Building and maintaining relationships is about earning the trust of your clients.
- Excellent work,
- Responsive service.
- Owning and fixing mistakes
- Looking out for their interests.
The most successful firms make relationships their top priority. In our experience the best of the best follow a five simple rules.
- Choose your clients as carefully as they choose you.
- Create a plan for nurturing the relationship and make it a priority
- Deliver – do what you say you will do.
- Do the small things that show them how important they are.
- Check in regularly (and not just when there is a job pending) through image/performance audits and project feedback interviews. And make it personal. Post cards and on-line surveys may provide data but they don not build relationships.
SRWA can help you with effective client selection and prioritization, relationship plans, “On the job” marketing strategies, Image and feedback programs.