If you’re running your own show as a consultant, you’ve likely worked very hard to get the clients that you have. So, here are three actionable steps to retain them:
Paul Weinert, Founder at GRAYBOX, summed it up when he said:
“The secret to overcoming the feast and famine project cycle is to build a close, consultative relationship for the long-term”.
Their strategy is simple: never lose clients after winning them—and this should be your strategy too. If you’re only focusing on current project revenues instead of thinking about ongoing relationships, you’ll hurt your bottom line. You don’t want all the work you put into winning that client and project to be in vain. Make sure you’re maintaining your relationships—smart automation can help.
Closed a new deal with a new client? That’s just the beginning. You not only need to see the project through to completion, but you need to delight your client so that they come to you for their next project. So, how do you do that? With seamless processes and work that is on time and on budget, you’re off to a good start. A lot of that though, is prone to human error (think: scattered spreadsheets and manually entering admin work). That’s why you should do some research into some of the smart technology options that can automate all of this for you, like this one.
Every client and project you win is an investment of your time, and you want to protect that investment so that it pays dividends over the course of your career. That’s why it’s important to have a platform in place that can easily demonstrate what’s happening with all of your clients (like which ones love you, which ones dropped off, and why). With a smart platform that connects your clients, sales, recurring work, and projects, you’ll get a full view of what’s going on in your business (and what you need to do) so that nothing falls through the cracks.
With these three steps (and the boost of smart technology to automate it for you) you’ll set yourself up for success. If you like, check out how Accelo can help you retain your clients better.
