Did you know that a majority of clients stop working with a business due to unmet expectations because expectations were not clearly set with them at the beginning of the relationship? In this article, we discuss five tips for creating good communication with a client in order to create a long-lasting relationship.

Set the Right Expectations

It is very important to understand client goals and expectations before starting to work with them and to go over with them specifically what you will do, the results that they can expect, and how the results will be measured and assessed. This way, the client will know what to expect and won’t have unrealistic expectations in their mind that are far different from what can be achieved for them.

Using Effective Communication

One of the most important elements for having a good client relationship is effective communication. This includes things like keeping clients consistently up to date on your progress with projects. You can even include in your client contracts how and when you communicate with clients. By using tools such as Slack, Basecamp, and Trello, you can easily set up projects, assign them to team members, write comments about them, attach documents, ask clients questions, and set timeframes for completion.

Get the Information You Need from the Client

To avoid any delays, it’s important to get as much needed information as possible from a client before starting a project. This includes receiving things such as passwords, logos, necessarily historical data, documents, information about team members who may be involved, etc. Tools such as Google Drive can help with document sharing. It’s best to make a list of all the things you need and send this list at one time to the client to avoid a lot of back and forth messaging.

Help Clients Identify and Address Problems

Sometimes, clients are not aware of all the problems that they have. Or maybe they are aware of certain problems but aren’t informed about possible solutions to them. By being able to identify and address problems that client’s face, and help them to see solutions that can accomplish their goals, you help to increase your value to a client. One way to show them how they could benefit from making changes or trying something new is by walking them through a presentation.

Explain Challenges to Clients

Things don’t always go according to plan or expectations. So it’s important to inform clients quickly when a mistake has been made or a goal has not been reached – and to explain the reasons. By being honest and transparent with clients, they will be more understanding, which helps to ensure a more long-lasting collaboration.

A coach can help to give you guidance on creating long-lasting client relationships. Get in touch today!