The client that you choose to take on defines you. Most of the problems in work can be avoided by taking the time to choose a client carefully. This means, you should know what you want out of your client relationships. Psychological approach is an effective strategy that can be used to read your clients’ personality.
This is not an easy process when you are starting out. You will hear all kinds of advice about choosing a client but it really takes time and experience to make it good.
So in today’s post, you will learn the different types of WordPress Web design clients. I will share my views about handling and managing each one. Here it goes:
Type 1 – Always in a hurry
This type of client wants you to be available at the moment’s notice. They are usually anxious and don’t really know what they need. They want you to make a ‘best in the world’ website, but want you to complete it by tomorrow.
These clients’ don’t have any idea about the work that is on their part for making the website complete. They will want you to read their minds and get it done as soon as you can.
How to Handle:
Try to never give a guarantee regarding timelines to such type of clients. Be ready for any last minute revisions. Keeping your original layered design unbroken is a good idea because it will allow you to easily refine and modify it afterwards.
Type 2 – Wants everything ‘simple’
This type of client doesn’t think about the work and money required to add additional features to the website. They will often say ‘I want a really simple website’ but ‘simple’ is far from what they want you to make.
They will ask you questions like: Can you build a forum and quizzes so I can engage with visitors on site? Can you get orders from WooCommerce purchases sent to my in-store POS system?
How to Handle:
You need to give them an exact figure of how many dollars they will need to pay for getting it done. Tell them when the project gets too big, it can cause the website to slow down. If you are keeping elements in small size, they will go faster.
Type 3 – The client who never reads
This type of client will not read emails, look at the examples you send, and open the attachments. They will answer a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to your question, which could be interpreted in multiple ways.
They don’t really know what they want, so they find it difficult to answer your questions. Also, they will get stressed when you send them too much work to read.
How to Handle:
For starters, you should shorten your emails and give them small tasks to do. But before you proceed with your task, get a final ‘go-ahead’ from them in written form. They may blame you if they don’t like something in the website later on.
Type 4 – The Control Freak
This type of client wants to manage every detail of the project regardless of the qualifications. No decisions will be made until a personal stamp of approval is given. Expect that your workflow will be constantly disturbed. The reason? These clients may believe that you lack dedication, therefore, they need to control your work.
YOu can hear statements like ‘I know what is best for the project and what is not’. ‘I am the only one keeping the project on track’.
How to Handle:
Making an argument with these clients will drain you for sure. You need to think what’s best for you here. Do you want to drop the project? Or do you want to please the clients, do as they say, collect the paycheck and move on?
Type 5 – The Perfect Client
These clients will be the best one to have. They end up with making the best websites too, because they let you do your work. They will value your role and the creative contributions that you have put in building their WordPress sites.
These clients are timely with payments and responses. They will put their full confidence in your abilities so that you work trouble free.
How to Handle:
The only thing you need to handle here is the communication, really! Everything will go the way you thought it will. Hang on to these clients as they are rare to find.
Conclusion
Everything that we discussed comes down to ‘communication’. If your contract is clear about all the expectations that your client can have from you, it will avoid any confusion between both. Feel free to give your opinions in the below comment section.
PS Excerpt
In the WordPress field, you will encounter different types of clients. But the ability to handle those clients is what defines you. Here are some of clients that you will come across!