A Path to Success

Strategy #9 From the Trenches - Catch the red flags from your clients.

It is important to make choices about who you work with because it might be hard to give good service to someone you don’t enjoy working with. Try to catch the red flags before getting too far into a job.

Here's an example of a real life story:

Client wants a full website built in 2 weeks. You get a request for a referral knowing perfectly well that the site will take longer. You say 'yes, Mr Smith can do the work in 2 weeks, I have no doubts'. In reality you don't really know and you should have checked ahead of time. Setting up unrealistic expectations is one of the biggest reasons for failure. This happened to me and I don't think I will ever let it happen again -- I'll check next time whether Mr Smith really has the time, inclination or desire and motivation to do the work.

How Clickdensity was built from .net magazine in the UK

Particularly interesting was the fact that this innovative application was built in .Net Visual Studio, Fireworks for UI design, Basecamp for project management and Visio for UI mockups. This gives you some idea of what's required to build an amazing application given the right core idea. An inspiration to anyone who wants to innovate... We have Clickdensity setup for newpathnetwork.org minining information on how the website is used. Not surprisingly the meeting area is popular.

clipped from www.netmag.co.uk Dozens of web apps appear every year to help businesses with productivity, but few are aimed at web analytics. Dan Zambonini explains how Clickdensity became a vital tool .net: What is Clickdensity and who’s using it? DZ: Clickdensity is an online suite of nextgeneration usability tools, including heat maps and A/B Testing. It helps you make a better, more profitable website via meaningful insights into the trends and patterns of your visitors. Its users include major brands, from Britvic to a world bank and a global supermarket chain.

Strategy #8 From the Trenches - Get a little closer, now don't be shy.

Many good long lasting relationships are built by having the first meeting as a face to face.

Business people are so into their gadgets -- have you talked to a senior decision maker lately? If you ask a few 50-somethings they will tell you that they much rather talk on the phone or meet face to face to figure out a problem, issue or make a decision. When possible, reach out and touch someone.

Strategy #7 From the Trenches - Use your calendar to keep up.

To keep up with client relations put reminders in your outlook (or any) calendar.

Calendars are commitment helpers -- they keep you honest. When you get an email or request that is date specific just drag it onto your calendar and set a timed reminder to get it done. To do lists are fine -- but attach a due date or just specify "appointment" with yourself to get what you need to get done. Get in the habit and you'll never miss an to do again.

Strategy #6 From the Trenches - Good customer service is ...?

Good customer service is invaluable and can be as simple as: answering your phone, doing rush jobs, or following up with clients.

When was the last time you called your client to see how they are doing? When was the last time you checked with previous clients if they need anything done? You would be surprised just how important constant, friendly, unobtrusive communication can be.

Be there for your client, and they will be there for you. Check your spelling, grammar and clarity of your messages -- voice or electronic. Be pleasant to deal with and it will come back to you many times over.