It’s no secret working in the SEO Consultants field can be challenging. This is especially the case if you have a large list of clients. This means a lot of emails, lots of questions, to several misconceptions about what you actually do for your clients. But no matter how chaotic things get, it’s always important to maintain a great relationship with your clients.
And that’s because not only can a few unhappy clients result in a loss of income but it can possibly damage your reputation as a professional SEO consultant. But the good news is that happy clients can actually send you more business and strengthen your network. The key is to learn how to manage your clients. Below are a few tips that can help you to better manage your reputation, services, and more.
1. Keep the Lines of Communication Open
From the very beginning, you need to make sure that you put an emphasis excellent communication. In many cases, your clients know that they need SEO services, however, they have no idea what type of work actually needs to be done. They only have a vague idea of what they want to achieve.
So make sure that you take the time to listen to them. Consider all of their concerns and acknowledge everything that they say. Sure, you may have certain points that you want to make, but don’t be overly concerned with getting them across to the other person. Make sure that they understand that you can be of help and offer a solution.
2. Explain the Process of SEO
Clients are often confused about what your job entails. And this means that you need to make sure that they have a basic understanding of SEO. Not only does this ensure that they know how everything works, but it will also make your job easier because you will be on the same page.
3. Avoid Using Technical Jargon
One of the most important aspects of offering SEO services is making sure that your clients understand you. One of the quickest ways to lose a client is to get caught up in using technical terminology. Sure, there are individuals who will say that they understand what they are saying, but you’ll notice that they tend to ask the same questions repeatedly because they actually don’t. So keep your speech as simple as possible without coming across as patronising.
4. Be Realistic
If you want to keep your clients, then you need to avoid overpromising. Sure, you may want to attract new clients, but you shouldn’t become so focused on getting them that you make promises that you are unable to live up to. Not only does overpromising hurt your relationship with the customer but it can also result in the loss of time and resources in attempts to follow through with your claim. So always be realistic. You should first assess the clients’ needs and then after you have carefully evaluated them, create a sensible plan for what you’re able to comfortably deliver.
5. Prove It
You can always claim how effective your methods are and how much traffic you’ve scored for your clients, but unless you have proof, these claims are not as effective. Clients want to solid proof of the work you’ve done. They want evidence of the results they should expect. So show them the results of work you’ve done in the past. And tell them exactly why they need what you offer.
6. Keep Calm When Dealing With Upset Clients
There are times in which there may be a lapse in communication. In these times, you may find that your client is upset. The best way to handle this situation is to remain calm and professional. No matter whether you are right or wrong, you need to maintain an understanding and positive attitude.
Always acknowledge the things that are causing their frustration and if you’ve made a mistake, admit it. By taking responsibility you can help to neutralise the situation. You should also offer a solution. In times where there aren’t too many personal costs involved, you should go out of your way to fix the problem.
7. Make Sure Your Terms Are Clear
When it comes to creating your terms of agreement, you need to make sure that there is no room for unresolved issues or questions. Before finalising the contract, find out if the client has any further questions or concerns. Ask them if they fully understand the terms of the agreement. This will keep down any unnecessary confusion on both parts.
8. Involve Your Clients
One of the best things about including your clients is that is makes SEO interactive. Include your clients in the process of placing snippets of code into their site. Advise them to write copy for the site. You can even encourage them to be more active on their social media accounts. After all, this is a partnership and this will give them a sense of control over their results.
9. Deliver
The main objective of any SEO company is to get results. So while it is a great idea to show analytics, offer reports, and give suggestions, you need to make sure that you are actually delivering what you promised. When you deliver what you promise it builds trust and credibility. And these two things can lead to more clients and a great reputation.
10. Take Interest in Their Business
While this may seem like obvious advice, there are many Singapore SEO experts that lose sight of what the client’s business. All professionals need to keep in mind that clients are coming to you with the sole purpose of improving their business. And when you take a genuine interest and seeing that business succeed, you’ll be surprised by how far you get. Also, make sure that the clients are aware of your interest. Send them emails asking how everything is going. This will also help to improve your relationship and encourage future projects together.
Conclusion
As a Singapore SEO, it’s easy to become complacent and get caught up in doing all of the basic SEO tasks. However, you need to make sure that you take the time to focus on your actual clients. What are their goals? What would they like to see their business go within the next five years? What can you do for them?
By putting an equal amount of attention on your clients, you can ensure that you build strong and healthy business relationships. And you will also be able to meet and even exceed their expectations. Sure, you should always focus on best practices, but you should also be vigilant about good communication, explain the process of SEO, avoid the use of jargon, be realistic, prove your ability, maintain a professional attitude, ensure that clients understand your terms, get clients involved, deliver results, and take a genuine interest in the success of their business.
