Following up with clients can be quite tricky. Nobody wants to be “that” contractor who texts them every 5 minutes to know where you two are standing.
I can say with confidence that I have good relationships with my clients. Giving them enough time and space when I work with them is certainly a factor that goes into that success. There is a rule that goes into this: Once a lead becomes a client, you have to determine the best way to work together on a case-by-case basis.
The first contact with a client is an important one, because you can figure out what kind of client they are going to be like. During this initial meeting, a client will tell you about their goals and you can find out what tools you have at your disposal to achieve them.
When you are working with a client, it is important that you are both on the same page. I try to adapt to my client’s way of doing things, but if I fail to follow up with them every once in a while, whatever setback we experience is on me.
The best way to avoid that from happening is by having a weekly meeting. I even have weekly meetings with my own team. It is the best way for me to know where we are standing and where are we going next. The best part is that the meeting does not have to take that long – all it really takes is 15 to 20 minutes to hold a full discussion about the most important matters.
What I enjoy the most about weekly meetings is that you can receive updates from everyone on the things they are responsible for. Sometimes, we aren’t aware about how much work a team has until we decide to talk about it.
During the weekly meeting, we can also talk about our goals and achievements, and what we plan to do during the following week. Giving everyone weekly tasks is important to keep the business running as smooth as possible.
The key is to be personal with clients and team members, without being overbearing. That is a thinly-veiled signal that you’re not confident in your own capabilities, and that is bound to generate an appropriate response. Above all else, let everyone know that there is a person that worries about their business and wants to help them in the best way possible.
