Surefire ways to lose a client
When I started at All Seasons in 1996, agency life was a bit different. I spent 90% of my time on printed publications, worked on an Acer desktop with a dial-up connection, and had meetings with clients about developing their first website (and yes, trying to convince many that a website was a good idea). My, how things change!
However, some things never change. For one, the most important thing has always been to stay focused on the client and exceed the client’s expectations. If you don’t, they will move along to someone who does. Here are a few things I’ve learned over the years (some learned the hard way):
Top 3 ways to lose a client
1. Poor communication.
Agencies work in the field of communications, so this should be easy, right? Well, not always. Sometimes the pace is so fast, and deadlines are tight, you end up only focused on getting the job done. Clients like to stay informed, and provide input or guidance on the details. From the first planning meetings to the final product or campaign, the client needs to stay a partner in the process. Part of communicating well is also learning how the client prefers to be involved. I have clients who like a personal phone call, others who prefer detailed email, and some who like a quick text message. If the client has to track you down to check the status of a project, you’re already starting to lose them.
2. Missing a deadline.
Just typing that sentence gives me anxiety. Yeah, missed deadlines are a big deal for an agency. Missing a media placement or a start date can be disastrous to an event, and we avoid it at all costs. Thankfully, it’s rare. It can be avoided by being organized … like, obsessively organized … with task lists, calendar reminders, Post-its, you name it. A pattern of missing deadlines (even self-imposed deadlines for project completions) is a sure way to make the client start to lose faith in your abilities.
3. Failing to innovate.
A deadly statement in just about any business is “Well, we’ve always done it that way.” Agencies must always be open to innovations, consider new opportunities and research more efficient ways to do just about everything for their clients. It’s a mistake to stay too comfortable, and shut out change. As an agency, we need to pursue new ideas and technologies that might benefit our client’s growth. As my sister says when pulling out into traffic (with me gripping the armrest). “No guts, no glory.”
