How to Close a Client Project
How you end an engagement is just, if not more, important than how you started it. Your clients were fresh-faced and optimistic, hopeful that you would be the one who would solve their brand and business challenges. Now, they’ve experienced the results of your work. Did you solve their problems? Did you satisfy their objectives? Did you educate them along the way so they felt empowered to make smart decisions? Did you stay on task and in scope?
It might take time to gather results, depending on the industry you’re in and the deliverable, but your client should leave more confident and calm than when they started. They should feel that their dollars weren’t wasted.
Here are three things I do when closing a project:
1. Revisit the proposal & contract
Well, hello, old friend! It’s time to dial back the clock and review the proposal and contract to make sure you’ve delivered what you were contracted to do. Then, confirm that the final deliverable and reiterate how it meets their objectives/solve their problems.
You not only want to ensure that your client has all the materials they need (I send a G-Drive link to all project materials for their reference), but it was what they expected when they signed on. I write:
“We’ve made it to the finish line! Our marketing plan was the last phase of the project, and I hope you’re just as pleased with it as I am! As you can see, the plan delivers a strategy, tactics, and key performance measurements that meet your objectives of creating more product awareness and shifting the perception of the brand in the eyes of the consumer. Let me know if you have any questions or if you need anything further.”
Once you’re both on the same page, close out the financial aspects of your project by letting them know that you will remit the final invoice for $X amount on Y date.
2. Ask for a testimonial
Your customers’ opinions can make or break your business. Now that you realize the tremendous impact and power of word-of-mouth marketing, here are three steps to guarantee you’ll win over your customer’s affections in order to make the big ask.
Here’s a fact: a stranger’s vouch has more impact on your prospect’s purchase decision than any of your marketing efforts. According to a survey by BrightLocal, 88% of customers rely on reviews to assess a business’s qualifications and viability. If you want to keep competitive as a consultant, you can’t ignore the power of social proof.
What’s social proof? People are influenced by the actions of others under the guise that those actions are the right ones. We follow the herd unless the herd veers off course, into a winding dark alley.
Think about it from your client’s perspective. Before you invest your hard-earned dollars on a product or service, don’t you want to conduct a CIA-level investigation on your potential purchase? Don’t you want to feel comforted by the fact that other people, just like you, have made the dive and have come out on the other side the better for it? Collective voices matter.
Let’s take it a step further. In an analysis of millions of visitors across five industries, software giant Granify revealed that, for apparel shoppers, social proof ranks higher than pricing in closing a sale. A study by Econsultancy demonstrated that product reviews are trusted nearly 12 times more than product descriptions or sales copy.
Before you nail a testimonial you can broadcast to the free world, consider how you can create a superior client experience. So when you ask for that vouch, your clients already have the blurb written. They want to tell everyone about you.
Go beyond the contract without veering off the scope
From perks and bonus savings to free shipping and white-glove service, the little touches make a difference — especially if they’re not expected. Consumers have grown accustomed to the assembly-line nature of commerce, and you can stand out by adding personalized touches. For example, the Boston-based luxury shoe manufacturer, M.Gemi, encloses personalized thank you cards with every shoe purchase.
Appointed, an American-made manufacturer of organizational and productivity tools makes a point to package all their shipments as gifts, complete with luxury wrapping and notecards on bond paper.
As a brand and marketing consultant, I often share articles of interest, supplemental reading materials and courses, and other extras that not only give context to the project and the deliverable, but it also makes the client feel smarter and empowered.
Deliver a superior project experience
Make a habit of delivering the wow factor. This is the difference between correcting a shipping mistake versus hand-delivering your product with a special note. The small touches and the big service leaps will cultivate a foundation of brand and product love.
Silicon Valley entrepreneur Paul Graham famously said, “Do things that don’t scale.” Communicate one-on-one with your clients. Get their feedback. Create extraordinary and memorable experiences that set your business apart from the pack.
At the onset of each project, I create a personalized new client magazine using design templates purchased off Creative Market. My client magazine is a one-stop-shop for the entire project where I outline all of the administrative housekeeping, process workflow, and project timeline, but links to everything they need over the course of the engagement. Clients love this because it not only reduces emails, but it also feels special to get something custom-made in their inbox.
Remember you’re in the solutions business
Be the kind of consultant that’s always in solutions mode. Instead of panicking when things go off course, you’re calm, collected, and focused on turning blind spots into opportunities. Operate a first-rate customer service experience, even when your customer is facing shipping delays or product malfunctions.
Now that you’ve created a foundation of excellence in your business, here’s how to ask for the testimonial:
- Ask when you’re on fire: Capture fresh insights and the verve of a job well done, by asking for an endorsement right at the end of the project, or when your client experiences stellar results. Shoot them an email asking for their feedback and permission to use their words in any future marketing efforts including LinkedIn, portfolios, website, emails, proposals, etc.
- Ask clients for feedback:If you’ve ever had a call with a customer service representative or made an online purchase, you may have received an online survey. Here are some excellent examples from small businesses and leading brands. You can build these emails into your project close process. Getting great feedback from clients on your performance can not only help you tailor your offering and process for future clients, but it also opens the door to having stronger relationships with your existing clients
- Offer “beta” pricing. You have the opportunity to introduce favorable pricing to customers in exchange for their feedback — this is particularly helpful if you’re launching a new service or an extension of an existing one where you don’t have the track record of case studies to prove your salt. Your client gets the benefit of your expertise at a discount in exchange for “focus group” level feedback.
- Capture social love. When your clients love your work, they have no problem shouting it from the rafters. Set Google alerts and scan your social media feeds daily to monitor for conversations and praise. Feel free to take screenshots of the feedback for promotional use. First, be sure to ask for their permission, especially if you’re using their image or words in advertising. Also, stay current on laws and regulations in your state and industry regarding claims customers can make, and how you can use testimonials and endorsements in advertising. First, start at the federal level and then research any local and state laws.
The best testimonials include your client’s name, photo, title, and feedback — especially if it’s quantitive in nature. For example, if you’ve delivered an email marketing strategy, your client can talk about increases in retention and conversion rates that lead to sales. You can up-level you testimonial game by asking for transformational feedback, i.e., how someone’s business has been changed as a result of using your engagement. For example, freelance fitness coaches often show off before and after photos of their clients.
If you’re not harnessing the power of social proof to market your consultancy, you’re setting dollar bills on fire. Social proof answers your clients’ burning questions: Is your service worth the money? Are you who you say you are and are you something they can trust? Their seal of approval is persuasive and powerful — it’s the driving force that converts a lead to a sale.
3. Invite them to stay in touch
Be transparent about how often you send emails and what they will include. You can make it easy for them (without having to respond with a “no”) by writing:
I’d love to add you to my mailing list. I send out weekly notes on brand marketing, strategy, writing, and great tools and stories. Click here if you want to be on my list.
By including clients on your mailing list, you’ll be top-of-mind for repeat business and referrals simply by sitting in their inbox.
Finally, thank them for the work and encourage them to keep in touch. Some freelancers send close gifts or a thank you card.
Like I said from the onset, the way you close a project is just as important as the way you started it. It’s about ensuring your clients had an amazing experience, and they’re on the path to success in their business. Closing the right way also paves the way for requesting testimonials and tapping the client for repeat business or referrals.
