Correspondence in the business world has moved to social media, the internet, and texting. However, what happens when you have a client that you have emailed repetitively, and they are not responding? What if their information is holding up your project? It’s quite common to deal with unresponsive SEO clients. Before you pull your hair out, you need to develop a strategy to reconnect. Here are a few tips to help you reopen the lines of communication.
1. Use Plain English and Forget The Fancy Jargon
One of the biggest reasons why people don’t contact you in a timely fashion is they may not be sure of your motives. If they cannot see the big picture, then they may be less than eager to get involved. Make sure they know exactly what you are doing and how their help can benefit. They will be ready to communicate if things are clearly laid out for them.
2. Don’t Overly Complicate Things
You only want to tell your clients the things that are necessary. Avoid telling them parts of the project that is not useful. They may be confused by the extra details that aren’t important anyway. You should learn how to talk to your clients about SEO. Any correspondence, like emails or texts, should be brief and to the point. The client is going to skim through the writing to find the importance of the communication anyway. Remember that fine line between enough and too much information, and it’s an important line to straddle.
3. Give Them Ample Time To Answer
Don’t become worried if a client does not respond right away. They may have received and read your email but don’t hold any authority. Some decisions must go through boards and higher-ups. The person you are communicating with may not be the one that pulls the trigger.
As a professional Phoenix SEO expert, give your client some time to go through the proper channels. Rule of thumb is to give them about a week to respond. If you haven’t heard from them in the allotted time, then send a follow-up reminder. You don’t want to come across as pushy, or that may be a big turnoff.
4. Don’t Overwhelm Them With Questions
Many of the people you deal with are not going to be well-versed in SEO. Make sure you ask questions that are direct. An old trick is to work on one issue question at a time so that you can move on with the project. If you send a whole page of queries, they may become overwhelmed and pick and choose which ones to answer. Multiple choice style examinations seem to work best too.
5. Alter Your Onboarding Process
If you are always dealing with clients that are less than eager to respond, it may be that you need to tweak your onboarding process. The reason this process is so important is that you want to establish their needs and your capabilities. Make sure you find out:
•The Client’s Goals
•The Clients’ Timeframe
•Best Methods of Contact
•The Right Contact Person
During this meeting, you also want to let them know what they can expect from your agency. If you can’t do what they want, don’t be afraid to send them to someone who can. By clearly defining contact personnel and expectations, you can save yourself a lot of headaches down the road.
6. Use Different Modes of Communication
When it comes to communication, texting and emailing seem to speed up the process. These methods tend to keep the long stories at bay and get right to the heart of the matter. Consequently, if you are not getting a response by using more straightforward methods, then you may want to try an old-fashioned phone call. If you hate talking on the phone, you can also look your client up on social media too.
7. Climb The Chain of Command
The chain of command is there for a reason. If you have tried and have had no luck getting in touch with a company, then you should ask someone else to step in. Frequently, a call from a supervisor or someone higher up in the business is all it takes to get the information you need. On the other hand, if you still cannot get in touch with the client, then you may want to go to their superior. Unfortunately, some employees drop the ball, and their boss has no way of knowing what’s going on.
8. Lay Out Time Frames and Consequences
You can’t drag your feet forever waiting on someone who may or may not respond. If the client continues to be unresponsive, then you cannot make them cooperate. Make sure to include in one of your emails a time frame and what will happen if they don’t respond by a specific date. Never vent or act annoyed with a customer. Always stick to the facts and remain professional.
9. Work On Other Things While Waiting
Don’t fret if you must put a project on hold for a short period. You can find other ways to help your client and ensure you have their future business. Why not take a moment and recycle material if you are in a holding pattern? Breathing fresh life into an old project may intrigue them, and they may see it as going the extra mile. Plus, it shows them your company’s creativity.
There is no manual on how to deal with unresponsive SEO clients. However, the Internet Marketing Team has developed a few strategies that make the problematic client easier to handle.
