@nathaningram nathaningram.com#WCORL
@nathaningram nathaningram.com#WCORL
Hi, I’m Nathan! From Birmingham, Alabama
Host at iThemes Training Freelance Web Business Owner since 1995
Business Coach for WP Freelancers since 2014
@nathaningram nathaningram.com#WCORL
Overview • Why you desperately need a strategy
for client consultations. • The purpose of the client consultation • The SCOPE Strategy
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Overview I’ll pause for questions in each section
Slides and Checklist link at the end Freelance table talk at lunch today
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Why the SCOPE Strategy?
Have you ever gotten nervous during a
client consultation because you didn’t know what to say next?
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Why the SCOPE Strategy?
Have you ever spent hours talking to a client
and gotten nowhere?
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Why the SCOPE Strategy?
Have you ever left a meeting and realized
you forgot to cover something important for the project?
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Why the SCOPE Strategy?
Have you ever spent time agonizing over a proposal
only to discover you were way off the client’s price point?
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Why the SCOPE Strategy?
Take Control of the Client Consultation
You’re spending your time. Make it count.
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the
Purpose of the
Client Consultation
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What the Consultation is Not
Is not to try to sell a website. It’s a first date.
You need to be sure this relationship is going to work.
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What the Consultation is Not
Is not to refine the client’s business plan.
You might be able to help, but that’s a separate service.
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What the Consultation is Not
Is not to answer “how” questions You’re there to discover the “what”
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5 Purposes of the Consultation
S C O P E
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5 Purposes of the Consultation
S C O P E Scope
Learn enough about the project to create a proposal.
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5 Purposes of the Consultation
S C O P E Chemistry
Determine if this is a client you can work with.
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5 Purposes of the Consultation
S C O P E Ongoing
Explain the importance of your ongoing services.
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5 Purposes of the Consultation
S C O P E Process
Set expectations by walking through your process.
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5 Purposes of the Consultation
S C O P E Estimate
Provide a ballpark estimate and get client buy-in.
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Using this method, I closed over
90% of my proposals
in 2016.
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S C O P E
Scope
Learn enough about the project to create a proposal
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Client Intake Questions
5 Main Buckets
The Business The Launch The Purpose The Budget The Website
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Client Intake Questions
5 Main Buckets
Create a checklist for every consultation.
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The Business § What’s your coffee shop answer? § What do you do or make? § Who is your competition? § Who is your ideal customer? § Why choose you instead of the competition?
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The Business § What is your price point? § How do you find customers now? § Do you have an existing brand identity?
Goal: Determine how much
they understand their business
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The Business § What is your price point? § How do you find customers now? § Do you have an existing brand identity?
The client may not be ready for a website.
Suggest a consulting arrangement.
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The Purpose § How does the web fit into your marketing strategy? § Why should your ideal customer come to your site? § What are your goals for the website?
Goal: Determine how much
strategy assistance you’ll need to provide
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The Purpose § How does the web fit into your marketing strategy? § Why should your ideal customer come to your site? § What are your goals for the website?
Again, the client may not be ready.
Suggest a discovery phase.
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The Website § Do you have a domain name already? § Who will be our point of contact? § Where will content for the site come from? § Roughly how many pages will the site include? § Will you be blogging or sharing news items? § Will you be selling things online?
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The Website § Do you need an event calendar? Event registration? § Do your clients need to log in for any reason? § Do you use Social Media? Which networks? § Do you have videos you want to use? § Do you want testimonials? Do you have them already? § Is there any third-party integration needed?
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The Website § Should the website simply be a credibility piece or
will you want to generate leads from search results? § Aside from communicating information, is there
anything else the website will need to do?
Goal: Create a solid scope of work.
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The Launch § Do you have a deadline? § How do you handle email? § Who will be responsible for maintaining the site
after it has been launched?
Goal: determine timeframe and start the discussion about ongoing services.
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The Budget § Do you have a ballpark budget for this project? § Can we simplify or do things in phases? § What is the decision-making process? § When do you expect to make the final decision?
Goal: Make sure you’re not wasting time.
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S C O P E
Chemistry
Determine if this is a client you can work with.
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Chemistry
Listen and Watch for Red Flags
By the end of the Scope phase, you should have a feeling whether this is
a person you can work with or not.
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Common Red Flags
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Common Red Flags
Unanswered Questions The client doesn’t know what is needed.
A discovery phase can be helpful.
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Common Red Flags
Disrespectfulness The client doesn’t listen, interrupts,
won’t answer questions, nickel and dimes you or won’t take your advice.
Or… the client is a jerk.
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Common Red Flags
Scheduling Problems The client is hard to reach, reschedules
or is late to your meeting.
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Common Red Flags
Complaints The client complains about a previous web developer
who “did everything wrong.”
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Common Red Flags
Emergencies The client needs everything
done immediately.
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2 Frequent Mistakes
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2 Frequent Mistakes
Running a Red Light Thinking a red flag is “no big deal.”
Remember this is a first date. Red flags are icebergs.
Don’t make excuses for the client!
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2 Frequent Mistakes
The Hero Syndrome A need to “fix” the client.
A need to be needed. Client Co-Dependency.
Ultimately, this will wreck your business.
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S C O P E
Ongoing
Explain the importance of your ongoing services.
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Selling Management Services
Education is the Key
Explain the need. No commitment yet. Provide training or a white glove service.
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S C O P E
Process
Set expectations by walking through your process.
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Explaining Your Process
You have a process right? Every Client, Every Project, Every Time
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Explaining Your Process
Talk it through with the client Explain the steps and tools
Explain the value your process brings Set expectations early
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S C O P E
Estimate
Provide a ballpark estimate and get client buy-in.
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Creating an Estimate
Ballpark not Exact By this point you should know enough
about the project to offer a price range. I usually give a $1000 range.
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Creating an Estimate
Get Client Buy-In “If I return a proposal within that price
range are you ready to start the project?”
If not, dig into why not…
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Using this method, I closed over
90% of my proposals
in 2016.
@nathaningram nathaningram.com#WCORL
Thanks! nathaningram.com/wcorl
training.ithemes.com
Freelance Table Talk at Lunch – Let’s Chat!
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