When we talk about supporting our clients, there are two ways we can be: reactive and proactive.
Being reactive means that you wait for situations to happen, and then you base your next ‘actions’ on what just took place. You act, after the fact.
Being proactive means that you look ahead in the road, to see what might come up, and you plan to ‘act’ on what you see coming in the distance, before it happens, instead of afterwards.
We often act proactively in our own businesses, with our planning and strategy, but many virtual professionals I talk to don’t realize that it’s beneficial to be proactive with our clients as well.
How do we do this? Here are a few ideas:
1. Talk to them about their plans. By having a conversation with a client about what their ‘vision’ is (whether it’s for a single project, or for their entire business) you can get a better sense of what you can do to better support them. When you are talking about doing something like a new opt-in, ask them what their vision is for the new people that will come onto their list. If you are setting up an event for them, ask what they want their people to come away with – and then offer suggestions to enhance the event.
2. Keep them in mind when surfing. When you are acting proactively, you will keep your clients in mind as you are surfing on the ‘net. You will notice things that might matter to them, and you should pass those things along to them when you find them. It could be something as simple as a new tool to enhance their business, or an email template or some sales copy that might make sense for their business. By showing your clients that you have an interest in their business and what they do, they will know that you are looking out for them whether you are ‘on the clock’ or not.
3. Take your services full circle. When you are offering a client any type of service, flesh it out to be sure that you are really taking advantage of what you can do for them. For instance, if you are producing a newsletter for a client regularly, make sure you are also planning to provide them with a list of ‘stats’ from that newsletter – open rates, click rates, conversion rates, and so on. Instead of just being reactive and sending something out each week, do the follow up as well and help them determine how their marketing efforts are working for them. Taking an extra step is a great way to be proactive.
There are so many ways that you can support your clients, but doing that little bit extra can help you to become more like a business partner to your clients. That will help you build your relationship and your bank account!
I’d love to continue this conversation with you – let me know how you are being proactive with your clients – I love to hear your stories! Just send me an email tracey@yourvamentor.com.