When The Project Is Over – The Follow-up Meeting
At the end of a project, there are a couple of things you can do. You can hand the files or materials off to the client, a printer or upload them to a server. Then, you bill it and forget it.
Bad idea.
A better idea is to conduct a follow-up meeting. Sales and building client relations are, or should be, an ongoing process. A follow-up meeting helps to enhance value, fortify trust and cement the relationship. It helps you do a better job next time around. It differentiates you from the other guys whose policy is: Do it, bill it and forget it.
Schedule a Follow-up Meeting
Those other guys are going to be spending a lot of time and money finding a steady stream of new clients, rather than leveraging their existing clients for additional business. The truth is in the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 Rule. When applied to business, the Rule states that 80 percent of your business revenue comes from 20 percent of your clients.
It can cost up to five times more to land a new client than it does to build on your existing ones.
That little tidbit is a handy piece of information to mull over in your mind. To keep it company, here’s another factoid: It can cost up to five times more to land a new client than it does to build on your existing ones. Some sources go so far as to say 10 percent. Suddenly, it becomes apparent why you should foster and build on your current client relationships. The follow-up meeting is one tactic to help you do that.
When the project is completed, set up a meeting with your client. A lunch is handy for this and often a less stressful environment without a ton of interruptions. If you work with remote clients, it probably doesn’t make too much sense to fly halfway across the Earth for lunch. That tends to eat into your profit margin. Fortunately, we live in the miraculous Internet Age, which has made working with remote clients as easy as local ones. Sometimes, even easier.
There are a few options for remote follow-up meetings. It can be a simple instant messenger conversation, or email back and forth. Both will give you a paper trail and documentation. Skype is a great tool for conducting online meetings with or without video. GoToMeeting is another option, as are Google’s Talk and Voice products. Always be sure to ask your client about their preference for online meeting tools. It may require a bit of testing, but once you work out any kinks, these tools can be as effective as a face-to-face meeting.
Following up about client satisfaction can be a scary thing, but if you do, you’ll become a better service provider. Here are some of the questions you’ll want to ask during the meeting:
- How do they feel the project workflow went?
- What went well and why?
- What wasn’t so hot and why?
- Was the quality of the work what they expected?
- Did the overall process and experience go as expected?
- If not, is there anything that should change for the next project?
- Were there any unanticipated things? If so, what can be done to help eliminate surprises?
- Are there updates, changes or revisions planned for the future?
- Can you show the project in your portfolio (it’s always a good to ask to avoid potential hassles down the road)?
These are simply to jump start your efforts. Over time, you’ll develop a list of questions that work for your specific circumstances.
This is also a great time to ask if there are any services or materials that would tie into or enhance the previous project. In other words, the up-sell. This is a first cousin to gathering testimonials and referrals, which is the subject of the next posts in this series.
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This is something we’re trying to implement at MCR. We’re happy with our quality of work, but I am personally thinking the non-design/development areas of the business could be done a lot better than we are currently doing.
I had thought of implementing a really well put together document upon completion of the project, to send out to clients, with justifications of all the decisions we made, all passwords, brief user guides and a ‘where now’ document, where we’ve really looked at what this particular client could benefit from ourselves and attempt to upsell to them.
But I think I may integrate a meeting for locals and a skype call for those a little more remote to discuss some of those specific questions above.
Or I may get my researcher to do it
I’d rather not talk to ‘people’
Good for you, Stephan! A follow-up document, like the one you describe, is a great idea and will add a level of professionalism your competition probably isn’t offering. It can also go a long way toward cementing the relationship and demonstrate to your client that you care, are looking out for them and in for the long haul.
One of our clients, a major tire manufacturer, comes to mind. We started working with one department, doing mostly print projects. By focusing on the follow-up, that department referred us to several other departments within the company. Over about year, that one departmental client grew into five and kept us pretty dang busy for a long, long time. Beyond that, each of the departments rarely, if ever, asked for an estimate. They were that comfortable with using us. They usually just gave us an open P.O. Plus, we got paid in about 15 days, while other boutique design firms and freelancers had to wait from 45 to as much as 90 days.
Really cool idea, I’ve thought of it myself but never got around to actually doing it. I think it is a great way to keep clients and getting them to recommend us to others.
You gave me an idea, when I saw “You can hand the files or materials off to the client, a printer or upload them to a server. Then, you bill it and forget it.” I’ve had a couple of bad experiences with customers, because of difficulties of finding documents and production afterwards. It is such a hassle to manage and share files postproduction, and think a meeting could solve some of those issues. We usually just does what we think is best, and need to start listening to their needs. Perhaps talking about it after, and finding a mutual beneficial solution is the way. It usually gets ignored as a priority, but when they need it later and there are problems then we get blamed. In the past we were too disorganized regarding postproduction files management between us and the clients, so we got some clever webservice called filecamp.com to do it. It makes it a lot easier to share files with customers, and gives them a online folder that we both can access. So I can recommend that little piece of software.
Sorry got a little of topic, but thank you for the inspiration!
I’m happy to learn you found the article useful, Peter. Stephan has a great idea of using a follow-up document that contains a project’s important bits. But, ensuring that document or folder actually gets into the client’s hands requires some discipline.
New procedures or policies can be tough to implement at first, regardless of a business’ size. For an independent freelancer, it’s usually a matter of remembering to do it. For larger firms, it’s often a matter of getting the staff to buy into a new procedure and actually implement it.
I believe you’re correct in that a solid follow-up system can go a long way toward keeping clients and encouraging them to refer us to others. It demonstrates our desire to build a partnership with our clients and that we’re not just another “get in, get out” vendor. Sure, it’s just one cog in the gears of progress, but an important one.
As for recommendations and referrals, I believe it’s important to remember that encouraging and asking our clients to refer us to others can put them in an awkward position. In effect, we’re asking them to put their reputation on the line for us. That can stir up thoughts and concerns such as, “Will these folks come through and make me look good? Or, will they drop the ball and make me look bad?”
When we strive to not only produce great work, but also provide a great client-centric experience that focuses on their needs, both during and after the project, referral concerns can often be put to rest. As we work with a client more, consistently deliver the goods and practice excellent follow-up procedures, their confidence in us and our professionalism is strengthened. When that blossoms, referrals and recommendations begin to become a natural extension. The client can become an evangelist for us and our business.
My essential tool to generate a follow up mail after meeting is on iPad. It’s an application called Beesy.. Very useful in meeting with I can take note and send minutes at the end of the meeting by mail very quickly and easily. http://www.beesapps.com/beesy-ipad-to-do/