At my wedding, my father-in-law made a memorable speech about the 3 Cs…
…and it always stuck with me.
He said, “To maintain a strong marriage, you need the 3 Cs: Communication, Commitment and Compromise. If one of these breaks down, the whole marriage breaks down. It’s just that simple.”
And almost 13 years of marriage later, I can say for sure that he was 100% right.
But this email isn’t about marriage. It’s about business and how the 3Cs are 100% relevant in client relationships as well. Hear me out…
To maintain a strong client relationship, you need:
Communication
Without strong communication, the client relationship breaks down. This means:
✔️Setting up a system for consistent meetings, conversations and feedback
✔️Being honest, clear and direct about what you need for a successful engagement
✔️Communicating your value and asking for what you deserve
Commitment
Without commitment on both ends, it’s impossible to achieve the client’s end goal. This means:
✔️Commitment on their part to pay you on time and in full
✔️Commitment on your end to ensure you help the client reach their goals
✔️Commitment to have one another’s best interests in mind
Compromise
As with any successful relationship, compromises will need to be made. Compromises like:
✔️Meeting in the middle on contract terms in order to get the deal signed
✔️Paying you what the project is worth, not necessarily what their budget dictates
✔️Being flexible around the clients’ changing needs (because needs can change!)
Anytime you’re questioning the health or longevity of a client relationship, reflect back on this email to see which of the 3 Cs is the weakest link.
I can assure you that this is the secret to client success!
My father-in-law passed away in 2018 right after Thanksgiving and although my time with him was cut short, he left me with a treasure trove of wisdom that I reflect on daily.
And now, I get to pass that wisdom on to you as well.
