How Do You Get Your Clients To Take Action?

[Travis Van Slooten]

I don't work with too many clients on an ongoing basis as most of what I do is one-time optimization, web design and development, consulting, etc. However, I do have a handful of clients that are paying me a monthly to market their business online.

I have been begging my clients to help me help them by providing me something to work with - specifically photos and videos. Two clients in particular would be prime candidates to post pictures and videos of what they do on their website and various social media channels. Despite my constant hounding, I cannot get them to take action on this.

What do you do if you're genuinely trying to help a business and they just won't listen? Fortunately, my clients are happy with the results I've shown them so far so this isn't a big deal in the scheme of things, but things could be so much better if they would just take action on this!

Do you have clients like that? If so, were you able to get them to take action? What did you do to get them to take action?

Travis Van Slooten

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Show them examples of businesses who are ranking well and are doing the things that you are trying to get them to do. That usually works like a charm.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Ya with some clients, it's just like pushing a rope!

And SMBs often are super busy AND don't understand the value.

But often money talks and the old take away always works.

Maybe try a combo of money and takeaway, something like this:

"John when you were new with me I was offering XYZ as a free part of your service. However I'm getting ready to break it out as an additional service you'll need to pay extra for. It's important service because it could do A, B, C for your business.

I know I've offered this to you in the past and you didn't seem interested. If you still aren't that's fine - because I'm pretty busy doing it for all my other clients, since they are seeing such great results.

But because it USED TO BE part of your service, just wanted give you the courtesy of offering one more time to do it at no charge. But if you don't have time to give me the images now I understand. Just want to warn you that you only have til X date. If you choose to do it after that, it will be an extra $200."

Think they'll find time to do it then???

 

[Travis Van Slooten]

This is brilliant! I'll pull this card next I just sent these guys another email today telling them our goals for 2013 are photos and videos. As usual, I don't expect to get a response so I'll follow up a few weeks into January with this strategy.

@Colan:

I've done that a few times and while they see the value, they are either just too busy or aren't comfortable with what I'm asking them to do. If I lived in the same city as these clients I would go take the photos and videos myself!

Travis Van Slooten

"John when you were new with me I was offering XYZ as a free part of your service. However I'm getting ready to break it out as an additional service you'll need to pay extra for. It's important service because it could do A, B, C for your business.

I know I've offered this to you in the past and you didn't seem interested. If you still aren't that's fine - because I'm pretty busy doing it for all my other clients, since they are seeing such great results.

But because it USED TO BE part of your service, just wanted give you the courtesy of offering one more time to do it at no charge. But if you don't have time to give me the images now I understand. Just want to warn you that if you choose to do this later it will be an extra $200."

 

[MiriamEllis]

Linda, you are so smart! Love your idea!

 

[Chris Alphen]

Leave it to Linda to come up with such a brilliant idea ... and one that can put more money in pocket to boot.

Sadly I think the truth in many cases is they are tech challenged. Some don't want to admit that and in fact this is also a reason a lot don't even want to discuss anything to do with online marketing in the first place.

Some have images on a phone and you just need to walk them through sending them and others may even have a logo in a file but they don't have a clue where to look or how to send it. Sometimes I ask if they have kids or grandkids around and believe it or not this actually works fairly quickly.

 

[Dave Cosper]

Re: How Do You Get Your Clients To Take Action?

A tool we've incorporated that has greatly improved client engagement and follow-up action is screen sharing. We use join.me, it's free. We're able to walk clients through exactly what we need to accomplish (via approx 10 browser tabs), why we need to do it -- and it's all personalized to their business.

We're seeing quicker turnaround on things like content feedback, photos, PIN follow-ups, etc. It's been an invaluable tool for us in getting clients "on board" and appreciative of everything that needs to get done.

 

[Chris Alphen]

Since I posted on this topic back in December I've also started to use join.me. @Dave it hasn't occurred to show screens with missing pieces that need to be provided--thanks.