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View Full Version : How to Get, Convince, and Keep Clients



vangogh
12-10-2008, 01:30 PM
I came across this post with 30 tips for getting and keeping clients (http://www.seoptimise.com/blog/2008/12/30-tips-on-how-to-get-convince-keep-and-deal-with-clients-be-it-in-web-design-writing-or-seo.html) and thought I'd share.

It's written specifically for web designers, writers, and SEOs, but truthfully the advice applies to all service based businesses. Lot's of it might be seen as common sense, though so much of that common sense is missed or ignored a refresher is always good.

A quick example of what's within the post


1. Make a name for yourself, a name brand and/or a “real” brand. Do not act like one of thousands, stick out by being extraordinary in whatever way you choose.

2. Listen to what the client really wants and reply to exactly this demand. Do not just offer the standard package without even contemplating the specific case.

3. Do not keep all clients. To keep your good clients you have to drop those clients who prevent you from spending the right amount of time and effort with your good clients. When you frantically attempt to keep clients who are always discontent you will in the end loose both the bad and the good clients.


Any of these tips stand out to you? Any tips you'd add to the list?

Dan Furman
12-10-2008, 02:02 PM
1. Make a name for yourself, a name brand and/or a “real” brand. Do not act like one of thousands, stick out by being extraordinary in whatever way you choose.

I wrote about the above in both of my books. I call it "Be an Oreo", and use the analogy that no matter how hard other "chocolate with cream" cookies try, they aren't quite like Oreos. If you want Oreos, you HAVE to buy Oreos. You can't buy Hydrox, or the store brand, or whatnot.

I'm doing this more and more with my myself. I'm not a copywriter. I'm a copywriter with a particular style. If you want my style, you have to hire me. Period. You can hire Chuckles McNoodle and expect the same results.

Almost done with my new site, by the way - one more page of copy, then I can turn it "on". Were you wondering if I'd ever finish?? :)

vangogh
12-10-2008, 02:19 PM
I had been wondering about the site. Good to know you're almost done.

I think branding is the most important thing any business can do to market itself. Your Oreo example is a good one. No matter how good they are a Hydrox will never be an Oreo. You don't ask someone to go to the store and pick you up a box of Hydrox. You ask them to get you a box of Oreos.

Standing out is important too. If you're the same as every one else in your industry what compelling reason is there for a customer or client to choose you? The answer is there isn't any reason. Differentiate yourself and your brand in some way. The way you differentiate yourself may not appeal to everyone, but it will give some a reason to choose you over your competition.

cbscreative
12-10-2008, 02:21 PM
I like the section on dealing with clients too. I'm still working on email issues as sometimes I do find myself getting multiple emails per day from the same client. I often struggle with being responsive vs. being too responsive.

I strongly agree with not being too reliant on any one client. I don't seek "big" accounts because they can be a trap. I've seen this happen where it puts some people out of business when they lose a client.

The overall principle is don't lose control, so there is some good advice there.

vangogh
12-10-2008, 02:59 PM
The email thing used to get me too. I always wanted to respond right away, but now I check my email less frequently. There are times when I will go back and forth with a client, but it's usually when I'm making some changes to a site and the emails are me making a change, client taking a look and responding with a yes or no, up or down kind of thing.

Dan Furman
12-10-2008, 03:49 PM
The email thing used to get me too. I always wanted to respond right away, but now I check my email less frequently. There are times when I will go back and forth with a client, but it's usually when I'm making some changes to a site and the emails are me making a change, client taking a look and responding with a yes or no, up or down kind of thing.

Guilty.... I check my e-mail a lot, many times when I shouldn't. I'm slowly getting better at this.

For example, I used to check it before going to bed - WHY??? If anything, there's a problem that I may feel compelled to solve. Or, if I don't solve it, I'll go to bed thinking about it... would it have killed me to just wait until the morning?

KristineS
12-10-2008, 03:50 PM
I like the tip about supporting the community. That is so important. Whether it's networking with other people in your field, or supporting other businesses in your area, it's important to help others. A lot of business comes from word of mouth and you never know when the help you give someone else will come back to you.

vangogh
12-10-2008, 05:22 PM
I used to check it before going to bed

Now you know why I'm up all night working.

seolman
12-10-2008, 10:46 PM
You can hire Chuckles McNoodle and expect the same results.

Hey Dan...got an email for this guy?

orion_joel
12-11-2008, 01:34 AM
This seems like a very good articles which i am going to have read in depth a few times, so that maybe just maybe it will sink in. I read a few of the points and the email point is one that i have read many times in a number of different things. Some people suggest twice a day, before lunch, and before leaving, on guy i read was at the point that he had decided just once a week was ample for him, even running a fairly busy business.

On the front of big clients and the number of clients, i think that it is important to look to working with multiple clients no matter what business, but it is important i think to try and have a mix of large and small clients. Such as maybe 1 or 2 larger clients that don't account for more then maybe 40% of your business. This is based mostly on my opinion that you should be able to cover expenses and make some profit off the 60% that is smaller clients and the 40% provide the extra profit that make the business worth your time.

Worst case if you have a business with maybe 2 large clients giving you just 40% of your business, and you lose one you still have 80% of your business. It is not the end of the world. But i made the mistake i had one client that accounted for 95% of my business and over a period of a year they gradually stopped buying different items and no i have a business that turns over at best $1,000 revenue a month.

vangogh
12-11-2008, 10:10 AM
it is important i think to try and have a mix of large and small clients

That's a good point. I think it's more about always working to gain new clients. If you have one client sending 75% or more of your work it can be easy to think everything is running fine and the money will always be there. Obviously that can change in a hurry.

There's nothing wrong of course, with having that big client, but you should still be working to pick up more clients so that 75% gets reduced to 50% and then 30%, etc.

cbscreative
12-11-2008, 03:49 PM
I agree that 40% of your business split between two clients would not be a problem, it would even be a good thing, but the 75 or 95% from one client is definitely risky.

Dan Furman
12-12-2008, 08:31 PM
Hey Dan...got an email for this guy?

whoops - should have been "can't" :)

yea, I proofreed well.

seolman
12-12-2008, 10:04 PM
Hehe - I just loved the name...
By the way Dan, I checked out your clear-writing site. Excellent. OK - I'm off-topic.

I learned the client mix lesson the hard way many years ago. Started a business based on one large client and for about 3 years was doing what I could to build up smaller clients. We were doing well and I got lazy about building up peripheral business because my relationship was so good with this customer. Only managed to get up to where about 40% of my surrounding business was from other sources and the guy ran into unexpected financial problems. Basically we lost all his business overnight. We almost went under. I had to drop from 25 employees to 12 in 2 months and it took almost 2 years to get back to where we were profitable. Never again. Now I'm happy with a very large roster of small clients, a few very large, a bundle of mediums... nice spread.

Dan Furman
12-16-2008, 06:53 PM
Hehe - I just loved the name...
By the way Dan, I checked out your clear-writing site. Excellent. OK - I'm off-topic.


no, no, you're not. Keep going!!

Thanks. :)