If you’re a self-employed consultant, you know the importance of regular client communication. If you don’t keep up with weekly meetings, needs quickly fall by the wayside. Expectations aren’t met. What does that mean for you? Loss of business. Your success as a consultant depends on your ability to keep the channel of communication between you and your clients organized and efficient.
Host one on one discovery calls before beginning the contract.
Develop personalized relationships with all clients. If you have too many, and don’t think one on one is doable, you’re not charging enough. Increase your hourly rate, and get high ticket clients that you can spend individual time with. It’s not about cranking out $100/hour calls and then calling it good. Focus on the quality of your client relationships; not the quantity. In these discovery calls, get to know each other. Set goals. Discuss desired outcomes. Review payment terms. Get the administrative portion out of the way.
Increase engagement with back and forth 2 way messaging.
Find a group texting service that allows you to segment your contacts by interest, behavior, location, etc. The more niche and specific your groups are, the better. Fire out relevant messages as you see fit. Your contacts can text back with questions, concerns, or requests. This type of instant interaction will build trust and enhance client satisfaction.
Recognize the value of Facebook Live.
People love real time. Knowing that your videos aren’t edited increases the trust factor. People want to interact with natural, relatable content. It builds brand loyalty in a way that can’t be mimicked with previously recorded footage. Remember, when engaging with fans via livestream, set a specific topic. Don’t go off on a rant. Keep it simple, concise, and to the point.
Schedule followups according to client’s communication preference.
If your client doesn’t respond well to email, avoid these types of reach outs. In your discovery call, inquire about their preference. While some might prefer weekly, hour long video chats, others might require a daily 3 minute telephone check in. Adapt to the preference of your client. When you know how to best communicate, you can then move right past scheduling issues and hop into productive work time.
It’s not as much about what you’re doing, but instead, how it’s done. You need to make sure you’re working effectively, and providing maximum value. This can only be done via streamlined communication. If your communication solutions are out of whack, you won’t be able to deliver in a way you see fit.
