My wife and I bought our first home in 2005. A Neo-Classical house built in 1911 that had been somewhat renovated about 10 years prior. Needless to say, while we love the house, it's got "character" and requires some serious upkeep. Thus began my first real-life experience with contractors, their work ethic, their (lack of) reliability and their seeming inability to show up when they say they are say they are going to.
Through 5 years now of using contractors (maintenance, construction, landscaping, etc.) I have learned some very important lessons. The ones that show up on time, do the job they say they are going to, communicate with you, and come in at the bid they originally gave you, are priceless. It made me think... why should this lesson not translate to ALL of small business, including my own?
Nothing and no one can guarantee your small business will succeed, but follow these 5 rules and you will have the best shot possible:
1. Show up on time.
Whether it be a meeting, a phone conference, whatever it is. Be there when you say you are going to be there. This will instill in your clients a sense that you are on top of things, attentive, and trustworthy.
2. Give your clients an accurate bid.
If a job is going to take you 10 hours to do, don't tell them 6 just to get the job and then bill them for 10. Give them an accurate quote the first time, and if the project is taking longer than suspected, be open and honest to why. If it's your fault for underbidding it (Yes, sometimes it is your fault), eat it and learn your lesson. If you gave them an estimate of 8-10 hours, and midway through the project they change the direction, notify them promptly of a change and in the amount of hours to complete the project within the new direction. Don't bury your head in the sand, then bill them for 14 hours. They are guaranteed to think you went back on your word. Which brings me the next rule.
3. Communicate openly and honestly about billing.
If you are honest in how you bill, there should never be a question that you cannot answer. If you bill hourly, then track your hours (always round them fairly) and be precise in recording what you are doing during that time. You don't have to break it out by 15 minute increments unless they ask. But if they do, you'll be prepared. Use a program like iBiz or other time tracking software to keep accurate records.
Again, if they switch course midstream, remember they probably know that it is going to cost them more. So take a couple of minutes, give them an accurate adjusted bid and communicate with them about the changes.
And probably most important, don't get defensive about billing. It's not personal, it's business. If you've kept accurate records, calmly answer their questions, be open and honest, be willing to walk them through the process.
4. Meet your deadlines.
If it's one thing that frustrates me more than anything about contractors, it's not meeting the deadlines we agree upon. Be realistic with your deadlines from the get-go. Pad your expected timeline by 15-25% to make up for unexpected emergencies. If you think you can get it done in 5 days, give yourself 6 to be safe. Then meet those deadlines.
If you are consistently not meeting your deadlines, you either have a problem with procrastination (stop being lazy) or you are setting unrealistic deadlines (adjust). 95% of the time a client would rather you meet a deadline that is a day later, than have you push a deadline an extra day or two because you didn't have something done when you said you would. Never ever ever miss more than one deadline with a client on one project. If you miss one, that client just jumped on the priority list. You should BEAT your next deadline for them.
Lastly, if you absolutely CANNOT meet a deadline you agreed on, give them as much advance notice as possible and promptly set a NEW deadline, so they can focus on the positive and not the negative.
5. Serve your clients well, and you won't have to sell.
I've never been one to sell. I hate it. I hate the way I feel when I'm doing it. I hate the way I sound when I hear myself trying to do it. For someone who wants to be successful in small business, you need to remember that referrals or word-of-mouth are going to be your biggest business-getters. That doesn't mean that marketing doesn't work, but before you go spend $5000 on a marketing campaign, ask yourself "Do my existing clients feel valued enough that they would give my name to my friends?" and if so, ask them "If you're happy with my work, I'd be honored if you would pass my name along to any friends or colleagues that you know that might be in need of my services." But don't say it that way. Put it in your own words.
I have found a few contractors which I truly trust to work on my house and one thing that I find is true. They all meet the rules I have mentioned, and I refer them to everyone I know that needs their services, without hesitation.
As creatives, we are predisposed to thinking that our talent is what gets us clients. Sure talent helps, but our business model, client relations, and customer service are the key ingredients to keeping those clients happy and referring us to their friends. When your clients hear that someone needs a designer, are you the first person that pops into their minds?
Bonus Rule:
6. Check your attitude at the door, trade it for some humility and kindness.
You're not the only designer. You're not the best designer. Stop being a snob, and be humble and kind to your clients. A kind demeanor will cover a multitude of sins in your small business. Don't mistake what I'm saying. I'm not saying be spineless, I'm saying be nice. Have the heart of a servant, not a prima dona.
