Dos and Don’ts to Manage Customer Relationships

What does it mean to be a successful marketing consultant and strategist?

Being a relatively new member of the team, that’s a question I’m still learning to answer on a daily basis. Because, while it might seem easy for me to say that I am the one who develops and executes inbound marketing strategies that help our clients win, that only scratches the surface of what we do.

At IMPACT, we also place a strong focus on the other facets of our position. To cultivate and foster relationships with our clients, for example.

Here’s a couple of backs with this in mind, and I haven’t learned much since I started here. These are valuable lessons for people who handle company partnerships of some sort, not just account managers at a marketing firm.

DOs

  • Please be mindful of establishing a long-term friendship with your company. When you try hard to build a good relationship, instead of just relying only on practical deliverables, there will be less competition in the department, and you won’t have a hard time attracting potential customers. (And hopefully, the good guys are going to share your excellent work with others!)
  • Take time to research your client’s industry, in addition to their expectations and objectives. This way, you’ll have understanding and context for what they’re trying to do and can provide more strategic guidance.
  • Honesty is also the right approach to follow. Fulfill and register your obligations on time. When you are unable to reach the deadline, be diligent about sharing it. Don’t undermine your credibility with dishonesty.
  • Listen first. At IMPACT, we can only combine our experience with a healthy view of our clients’ desires and needs, which will only work if you concentrate on being a good listener.
  • Ask yourself frequently, “What benefit do you add? How do you make their success possible?” Justifying them to keep coming back to you. You don’t want them to forget why they recruited you, or why they can’t understand why you bring value to their company.
  • Please set up and deliver an agenda before every meeting that explicitly describes the meeting’s intent and goals. So try it out before the conference – and keep to it!
  • Tough meetings can happen, so you must stay calm and be patient. Sometimes things go wrong, which can lead to justifiable frustration on both sides. Check the pride, listen, be polite, and make constructive suggestions. In certain situations, it might be advisable to table a conversation later to let things calm down.
  • At IMPACT, we believe very much in the ideology of “owning it.” That ensures that you will own your achievements, but still recognize that you have made a mistake. (Everyone stumbles; the most important thing is how you get back up.) Face up to your mistakes and take action to make sure they’re not repeated.
  • We are also committed to learning and continuing education. As an account manager, I apply this to all of my clients by proactively educating myself specifically on their business and changes within their industry!
  • Remain optimistic, and don’t hesitate to share your winnings. Account management can mean a lot of overtime and late nights, which means that occasionally it can be easy to get down. When it happens, take a minute and look back at all the excellent work you’ve done to share your successes –with your friends and your customers.

 

DON’T

  • Don’t feel over-committed. When you’re in a client-facing situation, saying “Yes!” is almost like a reaction to something. It will cause issues down the road, though, if you say yes to something you don’t have time to do. Know the limits and learn how to handle external client requests.
  • Don’t behave like a know-it-all thing. Are you a specialist in your field? Is that supposed to translate into boorish condescension? It’s certainly not. It wasn’t an enticing trait of high school, so it doesn’t translate well into adulthood. Finally, this is back to being a good listener. Don’t assume that you know the problem and the solution. It’s Foster conversation.
  • Come clean and don’t offer false answers that you don’t have. It’s all right to say, “I don’t know, but I will certainly find out for you,” when a customer asks you a question. It hurts not having the solution to the client’s question, but you can create awkward problems by not owning it.
  • Don’t expect your customer to wait for you. Customers that are left unattended never come back. So, be on schedule for meetings and be clear and constructive in your contact.
  • As the first “don’t,” I listed, don’t make promises that you can’t keep and honor the commitments that you do.
  • Don’t be disrespectful to your customer or the members of your staff. There are several other ways to build your interest, but to have a patronizing mentality is not one of them.
  • Don’t always rely on e-mail to get your message across. Instead, kick it in the old school and pick up the phone. It’s alarming. E-mail is useful, but it’s not always the easiest way to connect. And if you see a topic going down the wrong direction or feel like something isn’t right, pick up the phone and have a clear conversation. Personalized contact can go a long way, particularly for those clients who choose to communicate directly rather than by e-mail.

Conclusion

I’m sure more will be added to this list as I start working with IMPACT and expand in my place. But for the time being, I think this is a good starting point.

Yet remember, as strategists and advisors, we are responsible for more than just the services we offer. So also watch out for chances to establish relationships between you and your customers. That way, all of you are on the same page, striving for the same goals.

That’s exactly how you win.