The success of any freelancer is directly related to their ability to build client relationships that last, and that remain effective over time beyond the interaction that the work cycle represents. It is proven that 60% of any business or freelancer's revenue comes from a stable client base, hence the vital importance of building successful client relationships.
In general, it is much easier to take care of client relationships than to look for new ones, loyal clients will always be more valuable, represent a recurring income, and are more likely to serve as a reference to promote and publicize your services.
The improvement of client relationships requires great commitment and discipline, not only as a freelancer but as a company. Clients not only want good work done but also trust and emotional connection, things that can only be achieved with time, attention, and care. If you want to build client relationships that last, don't hesitate to become a leader with these strategies that will help you build stronger relationships.
1. Encourage client segmentation
To build client relationships that last you must dedicate time, energy and attention, you cannot give the same treatment to all clients, as there are some who simply require extra effort to be more valuable. Organize your time according to priority clients, and stay efficient with them, a good starting point is to focus on those clients that ensure a greater flow of work, as they are the ones that provide greater opportunities
2. Listen to the client
People only remember 50% of what they hear, and hearing is not the same as listening. It is vital to pay attention to clients, because all the information they share will help improve personal and professional relationships. If you cannot retain all the information, record the conversation or take notes of the most important data, when the client notices that you pay attention to him, he feels valued, understood and respected, besides feeling confident about the work done.
It is key to listen to understand, without interrupting the conversation, concentrate on the conversation, ask the right questions and at the end, summarize the key points to show that you have understood the requirements and ideas.
3. Establish an appropriate pace of communication
Within the improvement of client relationships, you must implement a rhythm of work and communication, this way the clients will feel the dedication and support during the work you do with them. A good communication rhythm consists of scheduling reviews, events, answering clients' questions and avoiding transitions, i.e., not referring clients to other workers. This will avoid complaints and demonstrate commitment to the work.
4. Focus on creating value as a freelancer and as a company
The secret to stronger relationships with clients is to let them know the value of the work you do, and it also serves to reaffirm your authority as a freelancer or freelance agency. You can create value by solving challenges, achieving goals and growth objectives, only then will clients extend their life cycle with you, and you will differentiate yourself from the competition.
6. Always give your best
The secret of successful client relationships is to do the best work possible, to give your best in the short and long term; this will make the client become loyal to you as a worker not only by observing the good results and quality of your work, but also by demonstrating your ability to complete projects within the stipulated time, following guidelines, which will result in more work, because the client will not want to risk working with someone he doesn’t know, especially if he has found in you a high level of work.
7. Pay attention to the small details
Within the improvement of client relations is essential to trust and responsibility, to achieve this you must pay attention to the little things like answering an email quickly, suggest corrections and always maintain a high professional level in the tasks; these small efforts will be valued by clients and will help you position yourself as an indispensable worker.
8. Give importance to the client's needs
Identifying needs is crucial when it comes to build client relationships that last; sometimes less experienced clients hire freelancers without really knowing what they need, so it is necessary to have a worker with an expert opinion to offer the necessary help in the aspects where it is needed.
For example, if you are hired to write content for a blog, you can tell the client about the benefits of SEO writing so they can take better advantage of your services. By giving that added value, the client will decide that a solid relationship with you is worth maintaining.
9. Be grateful for the opportunity
We know that the freelancer field is practically overcrowded, there are many options for clients to choose from, so regardless of why they decided to give you an opportunity, you should show that you appreciate this new business relationship. This strategy in general will provide you with stronger relationships, remember that the simplest gestures are the nicest; write a thank you email, it won't take more than 2 minutes.
10. Keep adequate feedback with the client
Successful client relationships are centered on maintaining updated information, just because the client was happy with the first results doesn’t mean that it will always be so; remember that the client is not static and the business is in constant movement.
Remember that the key to success is the consistency of client relationships; encourage your team to include these techniques in your work methodology and you will notice how a loyal client base takes your company to the top.
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