Understanding different types of clients and adapting your communication to suit.
Meet Paula...
She sends you a formal email in October, providing details of the services she'll require of you next April. She needs you to verify your rates and other relevant particulars. Paula offers - in fact she prefers - to make payment well in advance, to confirm her reservation. And yes, she'll be checking in more and more frequently from January onward.
Paula needs structure, clarity, commitment and certainty. Responsiveness can be a deal-maker or deal-breaker for Paula. She quickly severs ties with the unreachable, unreliable service provider. It's a defence mechanism, because she never wants to feel like her friend, Anxious Angus.
What Paula says: I'm not sure if you got my text message
What Paula means: In future, I'll appreciate if you acknowledge my communication
What Paula says: Just following up
What Paula means: I was hoping I would have heard from you by now. Please provide a timely update.
What Paula asks: Are we all set?
What Paula means: I know everything's supposedly confirmed, but silence bothers me. I need your reassurances.
As service providers, it's important that we identify this client type, so that we can detect these polite reports of discomfort. Keep Paula's communication line open.
We know a few Paulas. Do you? :-)
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