As an online marketer at e-workbee, I have to adapt to the way in which clients communicate their needs and expectations when they hire me. I have to be prepared, flexible, and resourceful, and accommodate the client’s style. Regardless of the method in which clients choose to instruct me about their business, neither of us should forget that the communication process of collecting information is a game between two people that is essential for the most successful marketing plans.
Most clients don’t have time for long meetings, detailed documents, or even friendly phone calls. However, this first step of business introduction is crucial, and I would like to share the following tips with marketers and their clients:
I think the first starting point is having a conversational meeting. The best option is a face-to-face meeting. However, it could include an electronic or phone meeting as well. The purpose of this meeting is for clients to express their needs and goals. On the other side, the marketer can observe the client’s feelings, styles, tastes, points of view, and so on.
Right after the first meeting impressions, marketers start to build the practice of follow-up. The ideal method is to use email because emails allow us to file and keep written information on our clients and their businesses. For tracking emails, I can recommend great customer relationship management (CRM) platforms such as Hubspot, Zoho, and Salesforce, to name several.
Once the marketer has conceived the big picture from the client, he or she can start translating isolated ideas into real marketing pieces. This process is the transformation of concepts to art items (i.e., social media posts, pay-per-click campaigns, blogs, etc.).
During the client-marketer relationship, there is room for some misunderstanding, confusion, assumptions, and arguments. I encourage the use of email for clarifying and solving small issues. If a problem escalates, I would advise to move forward with a fixing phone call or arrange a beneficial meeting with your client.
I don’t recommend quick messages such as text or WhatsApp messages for transferring lengthy instructions, editing content, or sending graphics, because these platforms have a small space and low resolution. Still, they are perfect for checking meeting times, reminders, or email confirmations.
Regarding phone call follow-ups, I would recommend scheduling phone calls with the clients in advance or vice versa is vital, as these may be invasive when they are not expected. I would suggest asking before making a phone call.
Business relationships are fascinating to learn, and if you handle each one from the beginning using clear and straightforward communication, a win-win game will result.