10 Tips for Setting Realistic Client Expectations
Let’s face the hardest part of running a business: You’ll NOT always have happy customers. And what’s worse? They might talk about this bad experience with many of your POTENTIAL clients — not something which can be ignored.
You might shrug it off by saying that your clients were very demanding and fussy. OR a more probable reason would be that you overpromised and failed to deliver them as promised. Many times, in a rush to close the sale, the agency is afraid to communicate the time, money, and resources required for the project. Consequently, the project is hurried and the client unhappy.
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Rule of the business: Underpromise and over-deliver!
Here are some tips to keep your clients’ expectations real.
1. Identify The Client’s Problem Before Giving Any Suggestions
Ask the client and delve deeper into what they think the problem is. Then suggest what steps you can take to solve it.
2. Identify The Decision Maker
Who will lead decision-making process from the client side and what will be their role? This will help you achieve more accountability and quicker communication.
3. Set Realistic Targets
The success of any partnership or project is dependent upon the goal. They should be designed at the beginning and be in line with the company’s marketing goals.
Setting deliverable milestones are helpful in keeping you on track as well as to deter clients from making any last-minute request for a complete overhaul of the project.
4. Outline Project’s Details
The plan of action should have timelines and minute details so, at any point in time, you or the client can see where you’re standing.
Take the example of the corporate giant, Black & Decker. The marketing implementation of its power tools and outdoor equipment requires decisions and actions by thousands of people inside and outside the organization, showing the importance given to planning.
5. Change of Plans? Be Truthful
Communicate verbally or have in writing how the delay in approvals, change in plans, and last-minute revisions can have an impact on the delivery of the project. This will help your client realize that every project has some inevitable ups and down.
6. Relay the Agency’s Expectations
It can start off from introducing your team to the client to setting a turnaround time for replying to emails.
Let them know of any rules (of not replying to emails on Sundays!) beforehand to avoid unrealistically high work expectations.
7. Be Honest About Your Capabilities
To deliver a clear picture of what you can accomplish, show your portfolio and share your previous work. Instead of overpromising how you can exactly deliver what they want, show what your previous clients wanted and how you delivered them the best.
8. Be Realistic about the Market
Clients may not have an idea about market saturation and their standing in the market. They might expect big results with merely one PR release. Guide them about the time it takes to see the result.
9. Underpromise
…and overdeliver. Always prepare for unforeseen circumstances and delay. It’s better to surprise your client with an incredibly awesome product earlier than miss a deadline because you committed to a date too soon.
10. Communicate
Through emails, documents, and verbal communication, keep the client informed about each update.
Take the example of Hewlett-Packard whose website has been regularly rated as among the best by BtoB magazine because it integrates an enormous amount of information!
HP communicated all the information to its customer segment thoroughly and thus could get 55% of its total sales from the website. Well, that’s the power of communication.
What’s Next?
With all these handy tips, get ready to talk to your clients like a pro. Don’t forget to conduct a post-engagement client survey for a better experience next time.
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