Hi Reader,

I was talking to a friend at the end of last year, and we were talking about our end of the year assessments and business planning. I mentioned I regularly assess my client list and asked if she did hers.

"Kind of. I mean I remember which clients I liked working with."

I asked how many repeat clients she'd had that year, and she told me it wasn't as many as she'd like. Finding new clients was taking up too much of her time, and she wanted to know why more clients weren't coming back.

We all know last year was a doozie on weird client behavior, so I recommended she take the opportunity to learn what she could from her clients.

So she reached out to her one-off and repeat clients and asked a couple of questions I recommended:

• "Were you satisfied with the work I did for you?" with a follow up of "If something didn't work well, please give me more details."
• "Was (Is) there any part of the process you would change?"
• "Is there anything I could do (have done) to improve our working relationship?"

She had her answer within the week.

She got some really great feedback about the quality of her work (and a few testimonials). The one area several clients commented on as needing improvement was her communication. She was flabbergasted.

So we talked about it. She told me all about what she was working on for each project. She talked about how much research, thought, and effort went into what she eventually delivered.

I asked her, "How much of that did your clients understand?"

"Well, they had to know, right? They knew what I was doing and that I said I'd have it to them by the deadline."

What she didn't understand is that her clients only knew what they could see, and for several weeks at a time, they couldn't see much of anything.

We get so busy with the actual client work that we forget they need reassurance, or even just a "Hey there. This is what I'll be doing for the next couple of weeks. I'll let you know if I run into any problems."

How we communicate with our clients shapes the client's experience before, during, and after the project. And it begins before you and the client have spoken directly.

You're marketing, onboarding, process, and off-boarding should all feel similar

By the time someone books a discovery call, they may already have read your LinkedIn posts, spent time on your website, subscribed to your newsletter, or heard about you from someone they trust. They've formed an impression of how you think, what you care about, and whether you understand the kind of problem they're trying to solve.

That's your marketing setting expectations about what it might be like to work with you.

If your content is thoughtful and conversational, they'll probably expect you to be thoughtful and conversational when you meet. If your website emphasizes a highly structured process, they'll expect to see that structure once the work begins. If you talk about close collaboration, they'll assume collaboration is part of the way you deliver the service.

Problems crop up when the experience differs dramatically from one stage of the relationship to the next.

Let's say your website feels warm and personal. You're a sweetheart, after all. And your discovery call reinforces that impression because you ask thoughtful questions, are specific about your process and how you can help the client, and you pay attention to what the prospect needs.

But then your proposal (or SOW) arrives, and it's all transactional and generic. You've flipped to transaction/sales mode.

It's not what they expected, but they already want to work with you, so they sign the contract, send the project materials, and wait for you to give them next steps.

Instead, they receive a your automated onboarding messages (contract confirmation, invoice, confirmation of payment, and templated project kickoff email). And then it's crickets other than a quick email that says, "Thanks. I got it."

You're ready to get started, but they're still thinking, So what happens next?

You probably don't notice their uncertainty because you have your head down doing all the stuff. You don't know they're getting more and more nervous when they don't hear from you, or that they sigh in relief when the finished deliverable finally hits their inbox by the deadline.

The biggest disconnect in the relationship happens right here because it's a seamless process to you, but to them it's a mild version of a Jekyll and Hyde situation.

I want to point out that not a single thing happening in this scenario is wrong. It's just not quite enough. And just a little more communication fills in the gaps.

Let's take a look at a complete client communication process.

It starts with your messaging

When your messaging explains who you work with, what you help them accomplish, and what your process looks like, prospective clients have better information for deciding whether you're right for them.

That helps both of you.

I get that you might be nervous about saying anything that could discourage a potential client. We all do the soft-shoe from time to time.

But when your messaging is broad enough to include almost everyone, you end up with a calendar full of discovery calls that aren't going to go anywhere.

Specific messaging helps potential clients self-select. Some of them are going to choose another direction, and that's proof your marketing is working.

The people who connect with you do so because they know what you offer and how you work, which gives both of you a better starting point for deciding whether you want to work together.

Which is what you do on the discovery call and in the proposal.

Moving into the working relationship

The wait between a discovery call and a yes can be nerve-wracking, can't it? The stretch immediately after a client says yes can be just as uncomfortable for them.

You're focused on the signed agreement and getting paid. You're deciding how much of your schedule to reserve for the project and working through everything you need to do before it begins. In your mind, the project is underway.

The client is probably wondering whether you received everything, when they'll hear from you again, what they need to prepare, or whether the agreed-upon start date is still correct.

This is why onboarding is so important. A simple welcome message can start the relationship off strong. It confirms that things are moving and gives the client proof that you're focused on their project while they wait for everything to start.

That message could include:

• Confirmation of what you've received
• Reaffirmation of when the engagement officially begins
• A description of what will happen next
• What you need from the client and when you need it
• When and where project communication will take place
• When they can generally expect a response after they reach out

Whatever it includes, it should feel consistent with everything the client has experienced so far.

It's also worth looking at the parts of your process that seem obvious to you because you use them every day but not so obvious to the client. They may not know how to give feedback, what you mean by a particular technical term, or why you're asking for one point of contact or comments need to be consolidated before you begin the next round of work. You have to explain it (in a friendly way, please).

Clients shouldn't have to learn your process by accidentally crossing a boundary they didn't know was there. Take after-hours emails for example.

Some people hear "good client communication" and translate it into "always available." I don't. Constant availability is exhausting for you, and it can be confusing for the client when there's no clear process for what goes where.

A version that's better for your mental health and your business tells clients how to reach you and when they can expect a response. I like to present those boundaries as helpful information at the beginning of the relationship instead of getting upset because a client keeps sending me midnight emails. True story. They can send them, but I am NOT going to respond until the next day.

Remember that your client can't see you working

That feedback from my friend's clients makes sense when you think about how much of our work happens out of their sight.

You may have spent three hours researching, reviewed a folder full of materials, and tested several possible directions. From your perspective, a great deal is happening. The client can't see any of it unless you tell them. You aren't an employee, but you need to remember that they're used to working with employees.

They don't need a running account of every task. That would be maddening, wouldn't it? The right amount of communication depends on the project. A three-day engagement and a six-month consulting relationship shouldn't have the same update schedule, but they both need a schedule the client understands.

For projects lasting more than a week, I like to send a short update every Friday. For content strategy engagements or longer ghostwriting projects, I send the short weekly updates along with a monthly report and a standing call.

A useful update should tell the client where the project stands, what's been completed, what happens next, and whether you need anything from them.

Those messages become even more important if something changes.

If you aren't going to make the deadline, the client should hear about it before the deadline passes. If they didn't get you what you need and that'll affect the schedule, explain that while they still have time to respond instead of after it's too late.

The same applies when you make a mistake. Tell them what happened, explain how it affects the project, and say what you're doing to correct it. A long defensive explanation after the fact isn't going to repair trust. A straightforward acknowledgment followed by action will.

Whatever you do, don't fricken ghost them. It's rude and unprofessional.

This all becomes part of what clients say about you

I have a full off-boarding process as well. It includes a project wrap up, makes sure the client has everything they need, and I ask them to give me feedback. I also use that opportunity to ask for testimonials and sometimes referrals.

When clients evaluate an engagement, they remember the entire experience.

Did they understand what was happening? Were their questions taken seriously? Did they know what you needed from them? When something changed, did they hear about it promptly? Did they feel as though they had to manage you, or could they trust you?

My clients often include what it was like to work with me in their testimonials. I've seen the same thing in the testimonials my coaching clients gather. Their clients talk about them being organized, responsive, reassuring, easy to work with, or good at keeping everyone informed because those are the parts of the engagement they experienced directly.

That experience affects referrals, too. When a client refers you, they're putting some of their own reputation behind the recommendation. They expect a good final result, but they also want to feel confident that the person they introduce will be treated well.

When you ask for a testimonial or referral, do it while the experience is still fresh and the client can identify the value they received. Be specific about the kind of person or problem that would make a good referral, and give them a short, accurate description of your work that they can forward.

Just be careful not to make every check-in feel like another request. Staying in touch with former clients should still feel like maintaining a relationship.

Is it time for a communication checkup?

Even if it needs work, you don't need to overhaul your entire client experience at once. Use this checklist to assess what's working and where clients may need some reassurance.

Before the client contacts you

• My website and profiles explain who I work with and what problems I solve for them.
• My marketing sounds like the person clients will meet on a call.
• Prospects can get a reasonable sense of how I work.
• The next step for contacting or hiring me is easy to find.
• My proposal continues the conversation we had instead of feeling generic.

After the client says yes

• I confirm promptly that I've received the agreement, payment, or other required materials.
• The client knows the start date and what will happen before then.
• The client knows what I need from them and when I need it.
• I explain how I prefer to communicate and confirm that works for them.
• I explain my usual response times and availability.
• I explain how any new requests and scope changes will be handled.
• Any tools, terminology, or feedback processes are introduced clearly.

While the work is underway

• The client knows how often they'll receive an update.
• My updates explain where the work stands and what happens next.
• I flag any possible delays before a deadline has already passed.
• I tell the client when I'm waiting for something from them and if it affects the schedule.
• I raise concerns when I have them instead of waiting.
• I acknowledge mistakes and explain how I'm correcting them.
• The client doesn't have to ask, "Where are we with this?"

At the end of the engagement

• The client knows the project is officially complete.
• I explain what happens to files, access, support, or outstanding tasks.
• I ask for feedback while the experience is still fresh.
• I have a simple process for requesting a testimonial.
• I make referral requests specific enough for the client to recognize a good fit.
• I have a way to stay in touch after the project ends.

Where should you focus first?

Don't score this like one of those Cosmo quizzes. You're not trying to see how much or how little you have done. That's not the point. This checklist is meant to be a tool to help you analyze your process. As you go through it, look for anything that might be causing issues. Or look for break downs in the process. How can you use what you find to build stronger relationships?

For instance:

• If you're having discovery calls with people who aren't a good fit, or you want to attract a different kind of client, start with your messaging.
• If your clients seem anxious or send lots of logistical questions as you start a project, work on your onboarding.
• If your clients ask for updates or sometimes don't understand what happens next, take a look at how you communicate during the engagement.
• If those clients are thrilled with your work but disappear once the project ends, review your off boarding, testimonial, referral, and follow-up processes.

We all have weaknesses in our client processes. I still assess and tweak mine when something doesn't work well on a project. Very often, the problem comes back to communication or to an expectation I thought was clear but wasn't.

If you do nothing else, stop treating client communication as something that depends on being naturally responsive or good with people. Communication can be built into your process. You can decide what clients need to know at each stage, create systems that help you provide that information consistently, and adjust those systems when you find a gap.

Communicating well (and proactively) is an important part of being the boss of your business. It takes you from good work to great experience.

Cheers,

Treasa

PS. Client communication is one of those things we’re all refining as our businesses grow. If you have a friend or colleague you’d enjoy comparing notes with, forward this email to them and work through the checklist together. You may each notice something the other hadn’t considered.

And if a friend sent this to you, you can subscribe here.

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