Number Ninety-seven Say “NO”
G'day. I'm Troy Dean, from Video User Manuals and Agency Mavericks. This is ‘The 101 Ways to Elevate Yourself and Demand Higher Fees: A Practical Guide for WordPress Consultants to Start Attracting Better-Quality Clients, Work on Better, More Interesting Projects, and Get Paid Better Fees'. Let's go elevate.
Number 97: Say no. Yep, even if you've got a good relationship with a client and the client calls you up and says, “Can you come over next Tuesday and have a meeting with us about this new thing that we want to do on our website?” say no. Ask them to fill in a website worksheet form or a variation of your original website worksheet form so that you can understand what it is they're trying to achieve before you go across town for a meeting.
I'll tell you why. Most meetings that involve web developers are a way for them internally, for the client internally, to work out what it is they want and what it is they're trying to achieve. What happens is those meetings get pushed back, and pushed back, and pushed back until someone says, “I've organized the web developer to come over and meet with us, so we need to sort this out.” You become the catalyst for them to have their own internal meeting to work out what it is they're trying to achieve. Here's an idea: Why don't they work that out first, then email you with what it is they're trying to achieve, then you can formulate a plan, put together a solution, make sure you're well-positioned, and then go and have a meeting with them.
So many times I've found myself as the mediator in an internal meeting trying to get them on the same page. Really, I don't need to be here. I'm just here to mediate the meeting, really, and to force their hand to have the conversation because I'm here in their office. Continue to say no to feature requests. Continue to say no to client meetings, unless you know exactly what it is they're trying to achieve and they're very clear with you about the goals that they're trying to achieve so that you can go in well-armed and-well prepared to give them the right solution.
It's important that you stay well-positioned even though you've got a good relationship with a client. Once you have a good relationship with a client, they might expect that they can call you up and that you'll come and meet with them at the drop of a hat. It's still really important that they respect your process and that they respect your position in that business relationship.
In the next video, I'll give you another little idea you can use to help keep in touch with your client when there's apparently no reason to keep in touch. Until then, go elevate. Make sure you subscribe to the ‘101 Ways' podcast, in the iTunes Store; just search for ‘101 Ways to Elevate', or visit us at WP101Ways.com and download the free ‘101Ways' e-book.
