4 ways to impress new clients

You just signed a new client. You’re excited. You’re anxious to get started. You want to knock their socks right off.

How do you make a great impression on that new client in the first month, other than the obvious of doing great work?

A few things have worked for me, both on the independent and agency sides:

Under-promise and over-deliver.

Resist the urge to make crazy promises out of the gate, which will be tough. Focus on over-delivering on every major promise. Do that, and you will have one very happy client.

Get to know your client.

The work is important, of course, but so is the relationship.

One approach that has served me well is to ask at least one personal question when you first sit down with your client. “How is your family?” “How was the vacation?” “How was the game you were at last night?”

These kinds of questions will serve two purposes: You’ll get to know your client better, building a long-term relationship, and you’ll learn all sorts of things about your client that may come in handy down the line.