Anyone who works in the world of SEO and internet marketing knows that no two clients are alike. In this industry, you’ll meet all sorts of clients: the good, the bad, and the unreadable. Here’s an infographic to help your company tell the difference.
Even though every client is different, the best-case scenario for any business partnership is one that’s beneficial for both you and the client. You get to do what you do best, so they can gain more business doing what they do best. At the end of the day, you both want their company to be successful. But that can be tough to achieve if you’re always working against each other.
As you take on more business, you’ll learn the needs and preferences of each client and their industry. You’re also going to meet a wide variety of client personalities--from the ones who don’t check in for weeks to the ones who micromanage your every click. There will be clients who listen to your suggestions and provide feedback, but there will be others who are never satisfied and expect to be #1 overnight. Some clients may even threaten to drop their contract and just do it themselves, but they should keep in mind that only 11% of businesses who do their own SEO in-house are satisfied with the results.
So how do you tell the good clients from the bad clients? As you can see in the infographic above, we’ve highlighted some different characteristics that can help you get a better read on whether or not a current or potential client is really worth it: Control, Respect, Organization, Timelines, Communication/Feedback, and Payment. How a client approaches each of these issues will either be a positive sign or a red flag. If you and your client are able to work together and communicate, it’ll be much easier to get results.
When it comes to taking on new clients, knowing is half the battle. By being aware of what good client relationships look like (and the warning signs of bad ones), you can avoid a lot of stressful situations and get back to helping your clients beat their competitors.
