FIRST SPARKS
Building strong client relationships starts on day one
By Stacy Brice
As a virtual assistant (VA), it's exciting when you get a new client. Here are some suggestions for kicking off a solid relationship, as well as some pitfalls to avoid:
Have a clear and specific intake process. How you go about welcoming a new client into your virtual assistance practice is important. Your intake process should address two critical elements: receiving client information and sharing information about your practice.Consider the information you'll need from a client, such as contact information, birthdays, important people, etc., as well as information you want the client to have about you, such as policies and procedures, and standards for your practice.
Then decide what sort of package to create that can both deliver your information and request the return of the client's information to you (e-mail, fax, phone, etc.).
Connect with the client frequently. Call, e-mail, send a virtual card--just be sure to make contact at least once each day. In the first 30 days of the relationship, over communicate to build trust fast.
Have the client identify 20 things she can't get done, and then handle them--quickly. Issues impeding her success need to be dealt with, and you should be the one to handle anything she doesn't personally need to do. Take her items and showcase your abilities and resources by handling them swiftly.Look for the things the client doesn't see. Great VAs invest in their clients by revealing what the client has missed. For instance, does he have a domain name for his business, yet still uses AOL for mail? When you notice something, take it to the client with at least one possible solution.
Educate your clients on making the most of what you offer. Your clients will have been doing their own work for a long time. You need to educate them on how to work with you, and how to get the value from the relationship. Just as there are plenty of great ideas for launching a strong relationship, there also are pitfalls.Never be a lone ranger. Communicate and collaborate--this should be your mantra.
Never assume, or act beyond the limits of your authority. When you have worked with a client for a couple of years, you can start to think you know a thing or two. Until then, never assume you know what the client wants. Be sure to only act where you have clear authority to do so.
Never wait to be told what to do. You can be proactive, but not assume things. Being proactive doesn't necessarily mean that you see something that needs doing and do it; it can also mean that you see something that needs doing and you discuss it with your client.
Never pretend to be someone you're not, or to have skills that you don't have. It can be tempting to overplay your skills and knowledge when you really want to work with a specific client. But remember, honesty is the best policy, always.Don't push. It's terrific to see needs and share them with the client--having no attachment to whether or not the client does anything about them. It's when you're attached to the outcome that you step past being proactive and into being pushy.
Don't over-promise and under-deliver. Wow clients by doing more than you promised, and by doing it faster than you said you would.
A strong start lays the foundation for the relationship you form with your clients. If you take the time to prepare, and keep these pointers in mind, you should have no problem forming and sustaining the long-term collaborative relationships you want.
Stacy Brice is a nationally recognized expert on "virtual assistance" and president of AssistU, an organization that that trains and coaches virtual assistants. Reach her at stacy@assistu.com.
VIRTUAL ADVICE
Even White Lies Are Dangerous
Question: A client asked me to reschedule a lunch he had planned today at 1 p.m. He called about something else late this morning, and casually inquired about the new date for the lunch. The truth was that I'd completely forgotten to do it, but I didn't want him to think badly of me, and I figured he didn't need to know, so I said that I hadn't been able to get through to the person he had the lunch date with, but would keep trying until I got through. Was there a better way to handle it?
Answer:
Telling the truth, no matter what, is one of the best ways to build solid, trusting relationships with your virtual clients. Conversely, if you lie, you risk being caught. Even one seemingly small lie can lead to bad feelings and a giant step backwards in the progression of the relationship. Every time you tell the truth, even if you're telling on yourself, you make an investment in your relationship. When you and your client work through this type of challenge, your relationship will actually be stronger for having done so. It's unwise to lie, ever. Even "white" lies, or "lies of omission" (what he doesn't know won't hurt him), should be avoided at all costs.Send your questions to stacy@assistu.com. Answers guaranteed only for questions chosen for publication.