Dear Aunty Entity
How often should I keep in touch with my client, can you have too much contact and and how close is too close?
Signed, Touchy Feely

Dear Touchy,
There is no right or wrong amount of contact for a client - it really depends on the project, your technique, their personality and the day of the week. Some clients like to be contacted every day even for a quick ‘hello’ - some don’t want to know you unless there is something important to discuss. By rule of thumb, more is better. That daily email update or phone chat maintains the human level of contact and helps build a relationship if you are new. If you feel comfortable around a client to discuss and raise issues, then you are more likely to be able to work through any project problems that may arise. When you start working with a new client (and in a freelancer’s case, the client’s client), you both need to take time to get a feel for how you work/prefer to work. As a PM, you should be prepared to alter your working practices to suit a client’s needs for example: a daily update rather than a weekly one, or phone briefings rather than a document.

If your client is reasonably close by consider making time to have to face to face meetings with them on a regular basis. Being able to observe body language and see faces is far more effective than listening to a voice on the other end of a telephone.

However, although clients can become good friends remember that it can cause trouble if you mix the two. I know people who visit client’s houses or take them shopping. Personally, I would find it hard to produce flash banners for a person whose underwear preferences I am aware of but that’s just me. Just remember it’s really hard to unleash a debt collection agency onto a client for non payment of invoices when you were sharing a ‘Madame JoJo’s midweek special’ the night before.

Dear Aunty Entity
How technically able should a project manager be?
Signed, Foxxy Love

Dear Foxxy,
Generally speaking, it’s preferable that you’re at least as technically able as your client.

Tight sweaters, short skirts and high heeled boots might not add 53 IQ points and 6 years of Cobol expertise to your credentials but walk into any technical meeting overrun with textbook technical types and honestly, who gives a damn?