How to keep your clients happy from a PR agency
Working with disruptive brands and entrepreneurs from across the globe, there’s a couple of things they all have one thing in common. Firstly is a passion for their business, and secondly a need for the people they work with to provide excellent service and tangible results.
As an agency that works exclusively with these types of businesses, we like to think we specialise in both. In fact, ‘passionate’ is one of our core values.
But on International Day of Happiness, what’s the key to keeping clients happy? We’ve set out our top tips for doing just that - whether you’re working in a PR agency or with clients in any other industry.
In short, you should do the following:
- Set clear expectations
- Communicate regularly
- Be proactive
- Be flexible
- Provide value
- Build relationships
- Be transparent
- Continuously learn and evolve
Set Clear Expectations
Before starting any project, it's important to set clear expectations. Be transparent about what you can and cannot deliver, and establish realistic timelines and goals. This will help avoid misunderstandings and ensure that your clients are happy with the results you’re all working towards.
Communicate Regularly
Regular communication is a big part of this, even if it might seem like an obvious one but during the height of a campaign or busy project, it can get forgotten - especially if there are multiple stakeholders. Agree a channel that works best for them - whether it’s Slack, WhatsApp or email - and share as often as is relevant. And don’t be afraid to pick up the phone, sometimes sentiment can get lost in translation when it’s written down. For more thorough updates and overviews, agree on a regular cadence and stick to it - whether it’s reports or calls.
Be Proactive
Don't wait for your clients to come to you with questions or concerns. Be proactive and anticipate their needs. Offer suggestions and solutions to problems before they become issues, and provide regular updates on industry trends and news that may be relevant to their business, or impact any future plans.
Be Flexible
To succeed and grow with clients, you’ll have to be willing to adapt to your client's changing needs and priorities. As a PR agency, you may need to pivot your strategy or approach as their business evolves. Be open to feedback and willing to make changes to ensure their satisfaction.
Provide Value
Your clients are investing in your services and your time, so ensure these meet their needs and provide measurable results that can be reported back internally. Use partner agencies to offer additional services or resources that may be relevant to their business and help them meet shared objectives.
Build Relationships
Take the time to get to know them as people, not just clients, and understand their business goals and internal challenges. Where you can, offer support and guidance beyond your specific services, and celebrate their successes along the way.
Be Transparent
Transparency is key to building trust with your clients. It’s often easier to be honest about any challenges or setbacks though we would always suggest finding solutions and presenting these to your client.
Seek Feedback
Feedback is essential for improving your services, so seek it out and be willing to make changes based on their input. Use this to improve your services and build stronger relationships with your clients. At Words + Pixels we run an annual client survey, asking our clients the hard questions because we know it will make us all better. Thankfully, our results were pretty high with a 98% in client communication, and 94% in strategic guidance.
Continuously Learn and Evolve
Every industry is constantly evolving, and it's important to stay up-to-date on industry trends and best practices. Continuously evolve your services to meet the changing needs of your clients and consider attending industry events, reading industry publications, and investing in ongoing training and development for your team.
Keeping your clients happy as a PR agency
Keeping clients happy is essential for the success of any PR agency and client relationship, particularly when working with startup founders and entrepreneurs.
But a collaborative attitude to working, with transparent communication and a positive approach to seeking out and adapting to feedback will ensure happy clients and happy teams, with deep partnerships based on trust, and value.
If you're looking for more tips from a PR agency, why don't you read how to measure the impact of PR, or understand how PR can help with fundraising and investment.
