Tag Archives: collaboration

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Lasting Client Relationships Help Your Business Thrive

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Freelance professionals and all business owners and leaders understand that they must periodically calibrate (and re-calibrate) their business entity so that it will be positioned to survive and thrive. While evaluating the potential success of growth strategies that appear to be capable of building a client list that enables you to achieve your revenue goals, do not overlook this basic business growth strategy—establishing good client relationships.

Good client relationships are foundational to the development of a healthy business and typically result in a potent client list, robust repeat business, consistent referrals and a low client churn rate. Implementing inbound and outbound marketing strategies in order to energize revenue is always necessary, but the process is usually time-consuming and by that metric alone, is expensive.

Recognize that you can enhance the value of your client list quantitatively, by adding more names, and simultaneously follow a qualitative approach to building the roster, when you prioritize the development of good client relationships. Establishing positive relationships with clients is a savvy marketing strategy that can play a supporting role in growing the number and quality of your active clients. Client relationships can support conditions that encourage client loyalty, repeat business and referrals, while simultaneously discouraging client churn. That the process of retaining clients and persuading them to continue doing business with your organization can be influenced by good relationships is so fundamental it is sometimes overlooked.

Beneficial client relationships are built on trust that’s born of the fulfillment of expectations (e.g., excellent project work and timely invoice payments), as well as transparency, communication and collaboration. More like partnerships than the usual transactional agreements between clients and vendors, clients with whom you’ve established a good relationship provide stability, inspire creativity and drive innovation that results in project outcomes that often exceed expectations. Below are qualities and practices that promote the development of beneficial client relationships that will pay dividends to both you and your clients.

1. Agreements, specifications and contract

It is a given that good client relationships begin with ethical and transparent business practices that are introduced during the initial project or product discussions between yourself and the client. Project specs or desired product solutions govern work agreements and performance milestones. Project contracts or sales agreements are intended to facilitate a smooth and productive collaboration and ensure that both the client’s interests and your interests are fulfilled. The quality of these discussions is integral to the establishment of creating good client relationships and transparency is key.

2. The customer experience

The quality and consistency of the customer experience your organization delivers is another building block of beneficial client relationships. The fact is, when your organization delivers an end-to-end efficient and satisfying customer experience, those with whom you do business will be happy to see more of you. When you (and your team) make it possible for clients to trust your expertise, professionalism, integrity and ability to meet or exceed expectations, you’ll be on your way to establishing mutually rewarding client relationships that can bring both tangible and intangible rewards to your organization (and the client’s).

As you shape the customer experience your company presents, be aware that “thank you” is a powerful word in every language. Saying “thank you” to your client for doing business with you shows appreciation and everyone likes someone who appreciates them. “Thank you” has the power to nurture and sustain positive relationships.

3. Communication and collaboration

You can build lasting, mutually beneficial relationships by facilitating good communication with your clients. Regular communication is integral to supporting collaboration, enabling innovation and producing outcomes that will likely meet, and may exceed, the client expectations. Honest and ongoing communication is crucial to gaining client confidence; be certain to keep your clients fully apprised of the project’s progress, challenges, or changes. Regular updates and transparent reporting demonstrate accountability, promote cooperation and enable proactive problem-solving that drives successful results.

As well, keep in mind that while technology enables communication at any time or any place, it cannot replace the value of face2face communication. When scheduling client meetings, suggest in-person chats whenever possible, as a way to encourage a good relationship. The Harvard Business Review reports that 95% of business leaders believe in-person meetings are essential for building stronger, more meaningful relationships. Alternating meetings between the client’s preferred location and your own shows consideration and empathy, attributes that are also integral to relationship-building. Keep in mind that business decisions are often influenced by personal relationships.

4. Listening and empathy

Effective listening is a cornerstone of relationship-building and good relationships are the foundation of business and diplomacy. Active listening is a demonstration of empathy and respect, and it builds trust. The ability to listen effectively is a valuable leadership skill and despite appearances, listening is active, not passive, and requires the listener to be fully present. When you invite your client to share information ask questions and perhaps brainstorm ideas, you validate his/her priorities and concerns and demonstrate your commitment to the development of a positive, long-lasting relationship.

Empathy allows you to see the world through the eyes of others and listening is a crucial enabler of the process.  Empathy helps you to effectively comprehend your client’s feelings, aspirations and challenges. Clients who feel as if they are understood will also feel that they are valued, making them more likely to become and remain loyal to your organization and more likely to reward you with repeat business and referrals. 

5. Flexibility and patience

Beneficial relationships rely on flexibility and patience. For example, there may be times when your client must grapple with unexpected challenges, such as time line changes or budget constraints. In these situations, your willingness to be adaptable and propose alternative approaches to meet revised client needs will demonstrate your commitment to the project and his/her organization, promotes trust and is likely to significantly strengthen the relationship.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © Skynesher for Getty Images.

Professional Development , Leave a comment

Freelancer = Team Leader

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The observations and experiences of leadership gurus, whether academic or in the field (i.e., on the job), indicate that hiring the most talented and qualified candidates for a job or project is just half the story. Those who study performance in the workplace learned long ago that other than professional expertise, plus a basic ability to work cooperatively with others, the ingredients needed to cultivate and development a high-performance team that achieves excellent outcomes are psychological.

Decades of research has demonstrated that when workers and team members feel psychologically fulfilled, they tend to be happy and productive. Autonomy, competence and camaraderie lead the list of conditions and attributes known to give rise to the best teams, Respect (emanating from the team leader and fellow team members), trust and ____. These are the supporting pillars of team spirit that inspires cooperation, collaboration, creativity and enthusiasm for the project and realization of the full expression of goals.

Successful leaders create the conditions that beneficial relationships on the teams that they lead, using the usual resources available—communication style, showing appreciation, productive meetings, and deeper friendships, every workplace has the ability to fuel people’s basic psychological need for relatedness and lift team performance.

Leaders of high-performing teams hold productive meetings

It’s no secret that poorly run meetings contribute to are a waste of time. They are are also demoralizing, they sap enthusiasm and creativity and contribute to diminished outcomes, work ethic and worker satisfaction. Studies of workplaces indicate that the leaders of high-performing teams run good meetings. Smart leaders avoid the inadequate planning associated with poorly run meetings by incorporating practices shown to make meetings worthwhile.

Those leaders/ meeting conveners take the time to develop the the right agenda. Further, they invite only those who should to the meeting who should attend—-team members plus key stakeholders, as needed. Next, the team leader/ meeting convener will ask for reports to be sent out with the meeting agenda aand expect meeting attendees to read the reports and contribute information or ask questions. Finally, the team leader/meeting convener will open the proceedings with a round-robin progress check-in that invites team members to give a concise update on their work that creates the benefit of keepsing fellow team members apprised of the big picture of the team’s progress.

By ensuring that time together is both efficient and collaborative, leaders of high-performing teams don’t just make better use of their meetings, they also set the stage for more positive interactions, contributing to shared information, cooperation, group problem-solving where necessary and good relationships.

Leaders of high-performing teams pick up the phone

While telephone calls are, unfortunately, much less common in the workplace in general, that’s not the case with leaders of high-performing teams. Research has found that the best leaders communicate more frequently in general, and they are significantly more likely to communicate with colleagues using the telephone than their less successful peers (10.1 vs. 6.1 calls per day on average).

While studies have found that most people expect that telephone calls will be somehow awkward or uncomfortable, that’s a misperception. Not only are phone calls no more awkward in practice, they also tend to strengthen relationships and prevent misunderstanding, contributing to more fruitful interactions among teammates.

Leaders of high-performing teams show appreciation

A key reason the need for relatedness contributes to better performance at work is that it makes us feel valued, appreciated, and respected by those whose opinions we prize. It’s why recognition is often a more powerful motivating force than monetary incentives.

Within our study, members of high-performing teams reported receiving more frequent appreciation at work — both from their colleagues (72% more) as well their managers (79% more). Critically, they also reported expressing appreciation to their colleagues more frequently (44% more), suggesting that within the best teams, appreciation doesn’t flow from the top down. It’s a cultural norm that’s observable in peer-to-peer interactions.

Leaders of high-performing teams support authenticity

Members of high-performing teams are significantly more likely to express their thoughts, ideas and values with their fellow team members. In emails to the team, they use exclamation points and add a personal touch to messages by including emojis. They’re also more likely to compliment, joke with, and socialize outside of the office with their teammates.

Incidentally, members of high- performing teams also complain, when they feel the need and they’ll get sarcastic, too. They feel free to be themselves, while holding fast to respect and professional behavior.

By incorporating simple, evidence-based practices that yield better communication, more productive meetings and deeper friendships, Freelancer/ team leaders have the ability to fuel people’s basic psychological need for cooperation and camaraderie and support the achievement of excellent team performance.

Thanks for reading and Happy Thanksgiving,

Kim

Image: Mountain climbing on the Arctic Team challenge adventure race in East Greenland

Business Strategy , , , , Leave a comment

2021: The Comeback

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It’s a New Year and now is the time to engineer a fresh start for you and your business. Take a few deep cleansing breaths to clear your mind and allow the big picture of your business, competencies, clients and relationships to come into view. Now you’ll be able to pull up the strategic insights and resourcefulness you’ve honed over the years and brainstorm how you can reposition your company to outwit the COVID-created obstacles that have hemmed all of us in over the past nine months. If the virus can adapt and retrench, so can you!

Predictions for the viability of several once thriving industries is less than optimistic, I’m sorry to say, but some Freelancers and business owners will be buoyed by other industries that flourished during the pandemic and can be expected to continue to do so. Among those fortunate few are:

All aspects of healthcare, from Freelance grant writers who work to obtain funding for life sciences research, which includes the development of vaccines, to start-up entrepreneurs who seek to patent and sell medical devices, to owners of medical billing services.

All aspects of technology, from Bitcoin entrepreneurs, to experts in cloud computing solutions, including digital data storage, to those who provide Artificial Intelligence solutions.

Prepared meals, available for curbside pick-up or delivery, were already trending upward and sales have skyrocketed since the advent of pandemic quarantining. While some who got an early start in the marketplace are succeeding by offering meat-potatoes-and gravy American standard menus, recent successful home meal caterers seem to be following the advice of 1930s burlesque queen Gypsy Rose Lee—-you’ve gotta have a gimmick. The popularity of Keto, vegan, organic, vegetarian, gluten-free and Paleo menus are claiming an increased market share.

Because so many of us are at home all day, unemployed, underemployed, working from home, overseeing children’s online schooling and unable to access our usual social outlets and networks, the cocktail hour has taken on a renewed luster. In other words, business is brisk at wine and liquor stores.

If you’re not a good cook, not a techie, you’re not an engineer who can develop a product, you have no interest in writing grants and could never raise the start-up capital needed to open a liquor store, all is not lost. The second-oldest Freelance career, real estate, is still going strong, particularly in the residential sector.

Condominium and co-op sales at the 8-figure top of the market in big cities have been softening for about two years now, but sales in sun belt states and suburban communities are doing very well. COVID has caused all of us to spend much more time at home and families require more living space now that the adults are often working from home and both need a home office. Children need not just a playroom, but also an in-home classroom for virtual school.

Furthermore, many who now work from home are looking to get out of small and expensive city apartments and move to the suburbs. Now that there is no more commute to the office or access to the entertainment, culture and networking opportunities that once justified the price of urban life, why continue to feed your greedy landlord?

Freelancers who have at least mid-level sales skills and are curious about entering the real estate field should first explore the trends in their locale. Finding a friend who is a licensed agent to tutor you in the ins & outs of the business would be a useful step two. Next, obtain a real estate license and try your luck with rental property to start. Maybe your real estate mentor will recommend you to a company who’ll bring you in as an agent.

Expect and prepare for change

Have you noticed that those who so cavalierly lecture others to welcome and embrace change are nearly always untouched by the change they tell the rest of us to welcome? Change may be inevitable but it is nevertheless unsettling and is sometimes destructive. We have good reason to fear change because the outcome can be ruinous. That said, life is all about managing risk, avoiding or overcoming obstacles and recognizing and pursuing opportunities.

We must all prepare for change, whether we see it approaching or get blind-sided by its sudden impact. Create your ongoing risk management strategy by keeping up with professional development. Regularly read up on developments in your industry so that you’re not caught unawares by policy or customer preference changes. Investigate technologies that will make your company more appealing and responsive to clients and make doing business with your organization more efficient. Always, look for ways to conserve cash.

Stay abreast of customer priorities

Understanding the needs and emerging priorities of clients enables you to recognize future business opportunities for your company and that information will be a crucial component of your nimble response to change and crafting a successful comeback. Including a short customer survey with an invoice will give clients a chance to voice how they feel about your products and services, tell you how your organization can improve and might even give you early warning on the next big thing.

Talk to your clients and learn what you can, politely and over time, to learn what keeps them awake at night and what they’re prioritizing now, or may prioritize in the near term.

Expand your client list, even if you’ve been lucky enough to work with an organization that has prospered during the pandemic and is giving you generous billable hours or sales. As we know, things can change. Back up, back up, back up.

Work smart

I don’t care what anyone says, I still feel that good luck, good timing and knowing influential people are the determining factors in building a successful business enterprise. Hard work matters, too, but billions of people on planet earth work hard every day and starve as they do. Working smart is the better choice, even if your luck and timing aren’t so great and no one’s looking out for you.

Meeting the right people is helpful, but it’s always been random and is difficult to do by way of videoconference, a method of communication that is not conducive to bonding with new colleagues and friends. It’s probably best to look for ways to refresh relationships with strategically placed friends and colleagues who you feel may be inclined to help you. You should also consider ways that you might help them as well and make that known, to get the reciprocity rolling.

Be ready for whatever good luck or timing might come your way by being visible and looking viable. Participate in virtual business or social events so that you’ll see and be seen. Use the chat function to message colleagues and privately say hello and potentially suggest a socially distanced coffee or drinks meet-up.

There are no guarantees but taking steps to package and present yourself and your company as prepared, proactive, nimble and viable is the surest route to your successful comeback.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: Sylvester Stallone (L) and Burgess Meredith in the Academy Award winning movie Rocky (Best Picture, 1977)

Business Strategy , , Leave a comment

How and When A Freelancer Should Collaborate

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Several years ago, I was one of four Freelancers who collaborated on the development and presentation of a half-day marketing and sales themed professional development conference whose target audience was in-house sales and marketing professionals who had the authority to hire Freelancers to manage special projects at their respective organizations.  Each of us would cover an aspect of sales or marketing (I agreed to present a networking workshop, another would present B2B sales training, etc.).

The conference was the brain child of an experienced and successful marketing services competitor. She invited us to participate, assured us that she had relationships with more than a few corporate clients and acquaintances, at least a few of whom we could count on to attend, and she ran the show.  Rather a lot of time was spent on planning meetings. A few hundred dollars was spent on production expenses: printing the promotional fliers, the room rental fee (we received a good discount at a fancy law firm’s conference room) and continental breakfast for the attendees.  We charged maybe $69 to attend.

We managed to draw an audience of about 30, a number that we considered respectable, but the corporate prospects failed to materialize, apparently because my marketing competitor hugely over-stated her client relationships.  The audience consisted entirely of people just like us—Freelancers who were trying to make themselves more attractive to those who control billable hours and who were hoping, no doubt, to meet a corporate marketer or two.

The whole thing was a complete waste of time and money because,  as we three along for the ride came to realize, corporate types do not feel the need to attend such programs. They are not looking to upgrade their skills at a conference hosted by a bunch of Freelancers.  They don’t even turn out for conferences hosted by their local chambers of commerce, despite the fact that most of their companies are members.  In fact, it has become increasingly difficult to meet them at all,  except perhaps in certain social situations or in board service.

Collaborating with carefully selected colleagues can open up doors to success that would ordinarily be closed and can result in good clients added to your roster and more billable hours added to your Income Statement.  However, there are questions that you would be wise to ask your prospective collaborators and also yourself, to increase the chances that the collaboration will be a win-win for all involved, including the client.

Can the collaboration achieve worthwhile goals?

Precisely, what valuable tangible and intangible assets will the collaboration produce for you? The project mentioned above was highly speculative and as a result, risky. Partnering with a colleague or two as a strategy to win the bid on a lucrative or prestigious assignment is less risky than creating yet another professional development conference.  Collaborating to chase rainbows is not what you want.  Collaborate to more effectively compete for a valuable resource, such as a project that exists and has funding.

What resources will the collaborator provide?

Collaborations are formed to bring together entities that have complementary skill sets.  A few months ago, I collaborated with an author to provide for her book content editing, serve as photo editor and perform self-publishing services that she preferred to outsource.  In exchange, I gained experience, added book editing to my CV and obtained (minimal) payment.  Collaborations should be win-win propositions and the project(s) on which you and your collaborator(s) partner should reflect Aristotle’s recommendation, that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

The trust factor

Collaborators must be able to trust one another for without trust, there can be no successful partnership. This is hugely important, because your reputation and client relationships, current and future, will be on the line.  If your collaborator(s) cannot or will not hold up their end, your brand can be damaged and unfortunately, you don’t really know anyone until you’ve either lived with or worked with them.  A discussion of the interpretation and practice of work ethic and customer service will give insight into the matter.

For example, if there is a big deadline looming, are collaborators willing to work and respond to emails on weekends, holidays and after 6:00 PM? How will collaborators respond to a high-maintenance client who emails at 9:00 PM on Sunday nights when there is no apparent emergency?

What will be the ROI?

The properly conceived and managed collaboration will allow the participants to offer additional services, exceed the client’s expectations, build good client and partnership relationships and enhance the possibility of referrals.  A good client will be added to the roster of each participant and billable hours that would not otherwise have been available will appear on Income Statements. The client will receive measurable ROI as a result of the venture.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

 

Survival Strategies , , Leave a comment

Love Thy Competitor

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If you are the type of Freelancer/business owner who believes that a primary business goal is to annihilate and destroy your competition,  then you’re likely destined to become a less successful entrepreneur.  Research can now demonstrate the wisdom of the adage,  “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

A 2004 study conducted by James Westphal,  professor of management at University of Texas/Austin,  examined CEO friendships in 293 U.S. companies and found that regardless of the intensity of competition within a given industry,  rival CEOs who formed friendships enjoyed distinct business-related advantages over those who shunned competitors.

According to Westphal,  not only is it possible to make friends with competitors,  it’s advisable.  He explained the advantages of friendships among rivals this way:  when business owners get together,  what do we do?  Talk shop.  We compare notes,  discuss what’s new in the industry,  talk about the economy and how it’s impacting customer behavior.

In other words,  by going to trade industry conferences and meeting,  greeting and getting to know rival Freelancers,  you’ll obtain information and get exposure to perspectives that can help make you more successful.  So think about following a bit of counter-intuitive advice and realize that business is not always a zero-sum game.  A competitor’s win does not automatically mean your loss.

If getting chummy with the competition makes you feel a little queasy,  then get friendly with a competitor based in another locale.  The distance will create a boundary that could make it comfortable for the two of you to trade ideas about cheap and savvy advertising options,  how to make your clients happy,  or how to take advantage of,  or protect yourself from,  market trends.

In some instances,  you may decide to collaborate with a competitor.  It’s potentially risky,  but forging a strategic  collaboration with one of your competitors can benefit the bottom line and help both entities to thrive.  It can be a smart expansion or survival strategy for Freelancers and other small business owners who are trying to remain viable.  Maybe there is a partnership you can set up with the right semi-rival?   It’s called coopetition.

Get to know a fellow Freelancer who works in your own,  or a related,  field.  It’s preferable if each of you has discrete strengths,  with limited potential for overlap.  Meet for coffee and broach the subject of joining forces to make money.  How can you combine your strengths and approach clients with an innovative and more desirable package?  There’s nothing better than giving clients more reasons to do business with you.

Collaborations can work in a number of ways.  Just a couple of months ago,  a lady named Julie presented me with an idea where we can add-on or up-sell certain of each others’ services.  There is potentially a complementary need in a market segment that we share and Julie wondered if some selective cross-promotion would be beneficial.  Together,  we’re hoping to gain entry to clients where separately neither could get in the door.

Another form of coopetition is establishing a referral relationship with a near-rival.  Accountants and bookkeepers have done this forever,  with much success.  Their functions have similarities,  but each party knows and respects the boundaries and knows how to work together.

Nevertheless,  do not be naive.  Take precautions and clearly define boundaries and expectations.  Watch your back and work only with someone you know to be trustworthy.  Also,  do not underestimate the potential for difficulties in establishing and sustaining a coopetition arrangement.  Assumptions about appropriate customer service or corporate culture can derail your best intentions.  Careful planning and execution are crucial if coopetition is to work smoothly.  In close collaborations,  a written non-disclosure, non-compete agreement will be essential.

Finally,  remember where friendship ends and business begins.  There will be sensitive issues that are best kept to yourself,  like new business initiatives or the  “secret sauce”  of how you deliver your unique services.  Keep your antennae raised as you and a worthy competitor mull over ways to share resources or expertise and boost profits in the process.

Thanks for reading,

Kim