1) It is YOUR responsibility to make the relationship work. Yes, yes, it is both parties responsibility in a relationship but the bigger person and the driving force behind the relationship is you. You initiate communication with clients. You call to check in. You present ways to communicate regularly that might work for them. If you wait for the client to manage things, you are not owning that responsibility. (Tough conversations are also yours to start).
2) Get Results. Business relationships are fundamentally built around the work. So you can be the greatest person on earth but if your project or service is being poorly delivered, then the relationship will ultimately fail. Sure, a good personality and friendship might give you some extra chances but make no mistake, results are what a client needs.
3) Systemize the communication. Formalize the methods you use with a client so they get updates, reports, emails and status on things regularly, on time and at the same time daily or weekly. No news or silence is not a good idea. People always think the worst when they don’t hear from you. You are better to send consistent reports that say, no change, than to provide no word at all.
4) Ask for Feedback. We all dread the idea of asking for feedback but it is essential to knowing where your client relationship stands. People who are surprised when a client ‘lets them go’ shouldn’t be. They are only surprised because they never had the courage to ask the client how things were going and where they could’ve improved.
5) Be Courageous. Tough conversations around price, delivery and client cooperation are going to come up. If you are feeling bad or there is the proverbial white elephant in the room, your job is to bring up the issues before your client. You are proactive about issues, able to voice concerns for the client from their perspective and willing to admit mistakes. People appreciate courageous communication.
