Day

1- Gaining an overview about business development

By the end of this day you will be able to:

- Explain what’s business development.

- Identify business development roles & why do you need a BD manager in your
startup?
- Differentiate between the business development, sales and marketing.
- Recognize types of sales.
- Understand the business life cycle.
- Analyze the market.
- Develop the positioning strategy through understanding customer needs.

What’s business development

Creation of long-term value for an organization from customers, markets, and relationships
by pursuing strategic opportunities for a particular business or organization, for example by
cultivating partnerships or other commercial relationships, or identifying new markets for its
products or services.

Business Development Core

It’s all about developing the company’s performance and increasing its growth rate, through
three main activities:

• Market Analysis

• Recognizing Opportunities

• Planning for the development process


The difference between Marketing, Sales, and Business development

What is marketing?

It is a Process by which companies create value for customers and build strong relationships
in order to capture value from customers in return.

Marketing Mix (4Ps)

1- Product
- Create a value for your customers.
- All things related to your product like design, size… Etc.

2- Price
There are a lot of pricing strategies that you can follow:
- Cost-plus pricing: - simply calculating your costs and adding a mark-up.
- Competitive pricing: - setting a price based on what the competition charges.
- Value-based pricing: -setting a price based on how much the customer believes
what you’re selling is worth.
- Price skimming: setting a high price and lowering it as the market evolves.
- Penetration pricing: -setting a low price to enter a competitive market and
raising it later.

3- Place
- How the products and services get from producer to consumer.
- Where the product/service can be accessed by the consumer (e.g. A shop –
website)

4- Promotion
- Marketing activities used to inform and persuade customers to buy a business’s
products.

Sales

Operations and activities involved in promoting and selling goods or services + The art of
persuasion.

Business development

Creation of long-term value for an organization from customers, markets, and relationships
and it is mix between: Marketing, Partnership, and sales.


Understand the Business life cycle and where Sales, marketing, and business
development appear

- The business life cycle is the progression of a business in phases over time and is
most commonly divided into five stages: Introduction, Growth, maturity and decline.

- According to the figure:

1- Sales role arise at the introduction stage.
2- Business development role arise at the growth stage.
3- Marketing arise at maturity.
4- Finance arises at Decline.

Business development Role and why do we need a business developer
Business developer role arise at the growth stage because he is responsible for the
company’s growth. He is responsible for making the maximum growth at the shortest
possible time.

What are types of Sales!?

1- B2B, Is shorthand for business to business: The products and services of the
business are marketed to other businesses.
2- B2C, or business to consumer: Is the type of commerce transaction in which
businesses sell products or services directly to consumers (nestle - Netflix).
3- C2C, Consumer to consumer: Is the type of business which is aim to buying and
selling second hand goods to each.
4- C2B, Consumer to business: The products and services of consumers marketed to
other businesses. Example: Influencers.


Market analysis

SWOT analysis

A) Strengths
B) Weaknesses
C) Opportunities
D) Threats

Industry overview: Industries vary in terms of their overall attractiveness.

The most attractive industries have the following characteristics:

• Yong rather than old.

• Early rather than late in their life cycle.
• Are fragmented rather than concentrated.
• Are growing rather than shrinking.
• Are selling products or services that customers “must have” rather than
“want to have”.
• Are not crowded.
• Have high rather than low operating margins.
• Are not highly dependent on the historically low price of a key raw material,
like gasoline.
Target market: Who are your actual customers? You’ll detail how many of them are there,
what their needs are, and describe their demographics.

• Market size: Your market size is how many potential customers there are for
your product or service.
• Demographics: Describe your customer’s typical age, gender, education,
income, and more.
• Location: Describe your customer’s specific location or region here.
• Psychographics: Describe your customer’s likes and dislikes.
• Behaviors: Explain how your customers shop and purchase products like
yours.
• Trends: Customer behavior is always changing.
Competition
Your market analysis isn’t complete without thinking about your competition. Beyond
knowing what other businesses you are competing with; a good competitive analysis will
point out competitors' weaknesses that you can take advantage of. With this knowledge,
you can differentiate yourself by offering products and services that fill gaps that
competitors have not addressed.

• Direct competition: Companies offering very similar products and services.

Your potential customers are probably currently buying from these
companies.

• Indirect competitors: Think of indirect competition as alternative solutions to
the problem you are solving.
• How you’re different: You don’t want to be the same as the competition.
Make sure to discuss how your company, product, or service is different than
what the competition is offering. For a common business type, such as hair
salons, your differentiation might be location, hours, types of services,
ambiance, or price.
For example:
Coca cola acquired Costa because Coca cola found that some of their drinks began to
decline and on the other hand the coffee market is growing stably by 6% each year. To read
more about this topic: https://tamersalah.com/coca-cola-business-strategy

Developing the positioning strategy through understanding customer needs

STP: Segmentation, Targeting and positioning

Segmentation
Dividing the whole market into segments by consumer characteristics and dividing the
whole market into segments by consumer characteristics and then targeting different
products to each segment.

Targeting
• Once the marketer has identified the segments, it must be decided how
many and which customer groups/segments to target. The company may
choose one or a combination of the following marketing strategies.
• Mass marketing strategy (undifferentiated marketing).
• Single segment strategy (differentiated marketing).
• Multi-segment strategy
• Concentrated marketing (niche marketing)

Positioning
• Is the act of designing the company’s offering and image to occupy a
distinctive place in the mind of the target market … Competitive
advantages
• A successful positioning occurs when the target customers find that the
product or brand satisfies their expectations and desires.




Day2: Business Development in Practice
By the end of this day you will be able to:

- Understand the power of partnerships.

- Identify the types of deals.
- Create a business development plan.
- Create new business opportunities.
- Organize the business development process.
- Deal with clients.

The power of partnerships

There is no better approach to solving challenges than the famous saying "two heads are
better than one." Whether creating internal partnerships between colleagues or
departments, to larger partnerships between businesses, harnessing the strengths and
abilities of others from different corners of your ecosystem is one of the most strategic ways
for businesses to scale their innovation and solve complex challenges.

The benefits of partnerships:

• Acquire New Customers

• Increase Revenue
• Expand Geographic Reach
• Extend Product Lines
• Access New Technologies
• Add Sharing Resources
Business development is the process of growing a business in new strategic directions
through deals.

Types of deals

• Merging and acquisition: Used to describe the consolidation of companies or assets

through various types of financial transactions, including mergers, acquisitions,
consolidations, tender offers, purchase of assets and management acquisitions.
• New Product development: is the process of bringing a new product to the
marketplace. You need to engage in this process due to changes in consumer
preferences, increasing competition and advances in technology or to capitalize on a
new opportunity.


• Opening new channels: Distribution is a key element of your marketing strategy - it's
how you access your market. It's common to use multiple channels of distribution:
direct via the web, sales team or retail location, or indirect through wholesalers,
distributors, value-added resellers or consultants.
• Strategic alliances: A strategic alliance is an arrangement between two companies to
undertake a mutually beneficial project while each retains its independence. The
agreement is less complex and less binding than a joint venture, in which two
businesses pool resources to create a separate business entity.

Business development plan
Business development is the process required to achieve growth through the acquisition of
profitable net new customers and expansion of existing customers.
Your business development plan needs to include:
1. Opportunities for Growth: due to studying our target market, competitors, and
your previous progress. From there, identify opportunities for growth – whether
it’s in creating new products, adding more services, breaking into new markets, a
combination of these, or other opportunities.
2. Budget: Determine how you’ll fund your business growth.
3. Goals: Broken down into milestones (intermediate goals. Setting your short-term
(quarterly) and longer-term (yearly) financial goals.
4. Metrics: Numbers that measure the health of your business.
5. Targets: Specific numbers that individuals are aiming to reach.
6. Measures: How you count progress towards a target?
7. Tactics: Major groups of activities that contribute to the above points. Figure out
what sales and marketing efforts will effectively promote growth and how these
efforts will change as you get bigger and better. Make sure your sales and
marketing plan is sturdy enough to support your growing business.

Your action plan to create new business opportunities

1. Make a list of 10 individuals or companies you would like to work with.

2. Research the problems they are experiencing or “holes”

3. Write down EXACTLY how you can help them solve those problems.

4. Reach out to the company’s decision-maker to set up a 10-minute phone call.


5. Explain to the decision-maker how you can serve their needs.

6. Follow up as promised and complete the steps that you already use.

Business development process

1- Prospecting: List your potential customer using excel sheet or any other CRM tool.
2- Pre-approaching/planning the sale: Gathering all information about the prospects,
their needs and their overall situation and on the basis of this information, sales
people plan their presentation selecting the most appropriate objective for each call.
3- The approach: Making an appointment to see the buyer to present his
product/service.
4- Need assessment: Stage in which the sales person must discover the buyer’s needs
and the best way to that is by asking questions.
5- Presentation: The discussion of those products or services advantages features and
benefits that the customer indicated are important.
6- Meet objections: They should be welcomed because they indicate that the prospect
has some interest in the prospection.
Listen to the customer and learn as much as you can.
7- Gaining commitment: at some point after sales person has convinced the buyer the
sales person must ask the buyer to commit to some action that moves the sales
forward.
There are 3 strategies for doing this:

- Summary close: Providing summary for benefits that the buyer.

- The assumptive strategy: Many sales people rely on assumptive close they
Marley assume prospects are going to buy and begin taking orders by asking such
questions as
Now, what size do you want?
When can we deliver this today or tomorrow!?
- Special offer close: if you closed the deal today you will get 30% off.

Dealing with clients

When we deal with clients, we have three channels; calls, emails and meetings.

Phone etiquette

Phone etiquette is the way you use manners to represent yourself and your business to
customers via telephone communication. This includes the way you greet a customer, your
body language, tone of voice, word choice, listening skills and how you close a call.

Practicing proper telephone etiquette is the key in improving and maintaining a high level of
sales and customer service.

When we speak with a customer in the phone, we have to focus on the below:

1- preparation: Prepare yourself; don't answer in a crowded place where there are a lot of
noises unless it is very urgent. Take a deep breath

2- Building rapport: Communicating compassion is so important when dealing with a

customer it makes them feel like you know their pain and can give them solutions. Be smart
at the end mention their name, the problem, and give them the solution.

3- Body language: When you smile and sit up straight, your voice is likely lighter and easily
translated by the client as cheerfulness. Body language, facial expressions and gestures
should remain professional while speaking on the telephone.

4- Tone of voice: Use your tone effectively, and confidently. Be friendly however, maintain
professionalism and speak clearly. Speak loudly enough to be heard without shouting or
sounding aggressive. Change your intonation and try to sound always positive.

5- Effective listening: Don't interrupt people, listen to them carefully, and take notes.

6- Approaching closing: Before saying goodbye to your customer, thank them again and ask
if you can assist them with anything else and summarize the things that have been done. Try
to let them hang up first to avoid any confusion.

Meeting Tips

UK Copywriter Andy Maslen has a neat acronym to help writers approach sales copy.

K: know

F: Feel

C: Commit

So we need the client to commit to something, and what they should know to close the deal
along with how can they feel comfortable enough to commit.

• Start with a Clear and Realistic Objective: Know exactly what you want form this
meeting, prepare for it, tell them what you want to achieve and what is the result
• Identify the Critical Success Factors for Achieving the Objective: How the objective
would be achievable what the steps are.
• Use Smart Questions to Help Clients “Know and Feel”: Ask them things that would
make them feel they are important
• Close by asking for a commitment or a follow up.




Day3: Essential Skills for Business Developer
By the end of this day you will be able to:
- Write professional emails.

- Design a company profile.

- Write professional proposals.

- Set up customer’s follow-up system.

- Establish the most important skills for every business developer.

- Recognize the business developer career path.

How to write a Professional E-mail?

1. Begin with a greeting
Always open your email with a greeting, such as “Dear Lillian”. If your relationship
with the reader is formal, use their family name (e.g. “Dear Mrs. Price”). If the
relationship is more casual, you can simply say, “Hi Kelly”. If you don’t know the
name of the person you are writing to, use: “To whom it may concern” or “Dear
Sir/Madam”.

2. Introduction
If you are replying to a client’s inquiry, you should begin with a line of thanks. For
example, if someone has a question about your company, you can say, “Thank you
for contacting ABC Company”. If someone has replied to one of your emails, be sure
to say, “Thank you for your prompt reply” or “Thanks for getting back to
me”. Thanking the reader puts him or her at ease, and you will appear polite.

3. State your purpose
Before you end your email, it’s polite to thank your reader one more time and add
some polite closing remarks. You might start with “Thank you for your patience and
cooperation” or “Thank you for your consideration” and then follow up with, “If you
have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to let me know” and “I look forward
to hearing from you”.

4. End with a closing
The last step is to include an appropriate closing with your name. “Best
regards”, “Sincerely”, and “Thank you” are all professional. Avoid closings such
as “Best wishes” or “Cheers” unless you are good friends with the reader. Finally,
before you hit the send button, review and spell check your email one more time to
make sure it’s truly perfect!



Finally, before sending an email be Aware of
• Grammar Rules
• Tone
• Punctuation
• Reading the Email

Company Profile
“How to Write a Company Profile in 10 Simple Steps”

Whether you’re a small startup or a company powerhouse, you’ll need to create your very
own company profile.

1. Identify the Profile’s Purpose
Identify the sole purpose of the profile. Let’s say your profile is for your business website.
Make a list of topics you’d want to know as a reader and make sure the tone used when
writing matches your target audience.

2. Decide on a Style
Now that you’ve established what kind of tone you should set for your profile, it’s time to
identify how you will present this information.
You shouldn’t be afraid of being different and swaying away from the norm, as long as it ties
in your brand.

3. Tell a Story
When you’re trying to encourage people to pay attention to your business, you need to
create a captivating story. It’s no use simply listing dates and figures; you need to make sure
your reader is on board by transferring them through the same story.

4. Outline Your Mission Statement
You need to let your readers know what you offer and how you plan to grow as a business,
essentially letting them know why they should choose you above a competitor.
Disney’s mission statement encourages you to believe, that they will provide you with the
most creative entertainment experience in the world.

5. Keep a Clear Format Throughout
You need to ensure your format is clear and clean throughout, including the same font and
size for the body text and headers. Don’t overpower your profile with irrelevant visuals and
funky colors. Stick to those that are in line with the rest of your brand.






6. Write the Company History in Chronological Order
It’s essential not to get bogged down by too many details. Instead, you should list key
achievements to show how your company got to where it is today. If you’re a small
business, you can write information about the establishment and development of the
brand.

7. Include Testimonials
Any good testimonial can add value to your brand, simply by giving consumers feedback
from another customer.

8. Include Your Contact Information

Be sure to include your address, telephone number, email and fax (if necessary) at the top
of the document and you can add your hyperlinked contact information at the bottom of
the page.

9. Add a Call to Action
Be sure to end with a call to action. This could be something along the lines of: ‘To find out
more, visit our website” or “For further information, Contact XXXXXX’.

10. Proofread It
Finally, it’s vital to proofread your corporate profile to ensure there aren’t any mistakes.
Sometimes, it’s easy to miss minor errors when you’ve been staring at the same piece of
text for hours on end, which is why you should get an extra pair of eyes to skim over the
text.

Proposal Writing

Proposal Definition
A business proposal is a written document that offers a particular product or service to a
potential buyer or client.

Types of proposal
• Solicited Proposals: When the customer asks for a proposal.
• Unsolicited Proposals: When you send them a proposal they haven't even asked for
because you think they should buy from you or take some action.


Proposal Elements

• About us (Our History)

• Vision and Mission
• Company Values
• Previous and Current Partners and Customers
• Our products and Services
• About the idea event, product, etc...
• Why should you buy our product?
• How you’ll be benefit?
• Supporting data
• Project Schedule/Time
• Fee schedule/Offers
• The company in Media
• Contact us

Setting up customer follow up system

When you’re busy running a small business, it can be all-too-easy for things to fall through
the cracks — unpaid invoices, follow-up phone calls, and yes, even new leads. In fact, lack of
communication is a huge cause of lost business for many service businesses.

1. Decide on a CRM tracking system: No matter how small your business, it’s important to
have a customer relationship management (CRM) system in place. Yes, even if you’re a
solopreneur! We may be a little biased, but we highly recommend checking out Breeze
works.

2. Establish a good labeling system: A solid customer follow-up system relies heavily on
detailed tags. On Breeze works, this feature is called Tagging and is fully customizable. Your
tags may include things like:

- Fresh Lead
- Left Message
- Needs Callback
- Scheduled Appointment
- Awaiting Estimate
- Job in Progress
- To Be Invoiced
- Awaiting Payment
- 2 Week Follow-Up



3. Use your CRM system to keep detailed notes on each customer: If you’re hired by
customer referral to do an air duct cleaning at Jane Doe’s condo, you may wish to note the
name of the friend who referred you, door codes for Jane’s building, the name of her dog,
notes on her HVAC system for future reference, year of service (i.e. 2017 Air Duct Cleaning),
and job notes.

4. Handle scheduling and invoicing while you’re still at the job site: Handling small
administrative tasks on-site can help save you countless hours. Supply your team with
tablets so they’re able to generate invoices and estimates from the field and collect
payment on-site.

5. Use your database to re-engage customers: You should also utilize your CRM database to
proactively re-engage customers in the future. For example, 2-3 years from now, you can
surface jobs tagged “2017 Air Duct Cleaning” and send Jane Doe a reminder that it’s time to
get her air duct system cleaned again.

6. Schedule time in the morning and evening for customer follow-up: Reserve an AM slot
for things like responding to emails and sending over estimates, and set a PM slot for
returning phone calls.

Skills excellent Business Developers must have

Business Development Managers are responsible for developing the business side of an
organization. That is needed in order to increase company revenue and maximize profits.

1. Communication & Interpersonal Skills: They are required in order to communicate,
present, assert and speak to all the different stakeholders involved. He must also be
able to cold call prospects with confidence in order to gain new clients.
2. Collaboration Skills: Any good business developer should be able to build
relationships, influence, manage conflicts and navigate through office politics in
order to get things done.
3. Negotiation & Persuasion skills: Achieving your set goals require that you are able to
learn when to compromise and when to take a stand.
4. Project Management Skills: They have to be able to set goals, plan and manage
projects, manage the risks involved, calculate budgets, cost, time and teams working
on ongoing projects.
5. Research & Strategy: These are necessary in order to benchmark the competition
and keep the company ahead of it.
6. Computer Skills: A Business Development Manager must have high competency
working with Microsoft Office. Even CRM software is a must for this job as well.
7. Business Intelligence: Any respectful business developer will conduct the necessary
market analysis needed to identify the company´s current position. He will conduct
analysis of what competitive advantage the company has over the similar businesses
in the sector.

In addition to all of the above mentioned skills, exceptional Business Development
Managers are always hungry for knowledge. They like to stay up-to-date with the latest
economic issues in the industry. Moreover knowledge in Sales Management, Marketing,
Strategic Management and Business Planning is a strength they can use to grow your
business.


Typical Business Development Career Path

Business Development Career Path
A typical career path in business development starts with an entry-level position as a BDR
and climbs up the ladder to a manager role, with the possibility of eventually earning a spot
in leadership.
A career in business development is challenging but can also be incredibly rewarding. At a
company, -joining the business development team- is a great choice for recent college
graduates looking to get their foot in the door. Most organizations won’t hire entry-level
candidates without past sales experience right into a closing role, so starting off in business
development is a great way to get on the path to sales.

Business development representative
In short, a business development representative (BDR) is an entry-level position that
involves prospecting and qualifying early-stage leads as they enter the funnel.

Business development manager
A business development manager is responsible for leading a team of BDRs and owning the
beginning of the sales process that involves marketing and sales-qualified leads. This
position takes on additional responsibilities of managing individual contributors and
overseeing all aspects of sales pipeline.

Business development leadership
Across different companies and industries, there are countless opportunities for strong
candidates to be hired on to serve a leadership role within a business development team.
The job titles themselves may vary, but common

Mastering your business development skills
Many of the most successful “biz dev” professionals knew almost nothing about the industry
prior to starting. Instead, they committed to learning something new each day and pushing
themselves to improve.
The skills you master early on in your business development career are going to shape the
rest of your path. Sales skills such as cold calling and objection handling are easily
transferable to everything you need to do when you reach the Account Executive level.


Staying motivated throughout your career journey
While pursuing a career in business development may seem daunting because of this, it’s
important to form positive habits early on that help you maintain your sales productivity
and avoid burnout.
It’s easy to get caught up in the monotony of your daily work life and lose sight of your
desired career path – we have all been there. Find ways to remind yourself of your short-
and long-term career goals every day.

Follow Your Own Path
Just because there is a laid out career path for business development, it doesn’t mean you
don’t have the power to make that journey your own. If you take time to hone in on your
skills and interests, there’s no doubt you’ll make the right choice when deciding if business
development is for you.


Negotiation tips

#1 Gain Knowledge
The first key is to gain knowledge. The person with the most knowledge wins. For example,
if you don’t know the going rate for a hospitalist in your area is $225,000 per year, but your
employer does, then you’re much more likely to accept a lower amount. Let’s say the
employer offers you $175,000. You’re a savvy doctor, so you “negotiate,” and demand a
$5,000 CME fund and $20,000 worth of paid vacation. Total cost to the employer?
$200,000. Is it a win-win? Sure. You get the job and everything you demanded. The
employer gets a hospitalist that costs her less than all of her other hospitalists. You’re both
happy. But you probably could have had more if you had a little more knowledge.
Knowledge can be general — i.e., how much you are worth and how contracts in your
business are generally structured. It also can be local or specific knowledge — i.e., is your
employer desperate to get you hired or what is the budget for your position.

#2 Have Patience
The person with the most patience usually wins the negotiation. Ever tried to buy a car after
yours has already been wrecked? At that point, you need something to get you to work
tomorrow. Perhaps you were even dropped off at the dealership by a friend and you have to
buy a car just to get home! You are far more desperate to make a deal than the person on
the other side of the table. He doesn’t care if he sells you a car today, tomorrow, or next
week. He doesn’t get his bonus for two more weeks anyway.
It’s the same in any negotiation. You want that person to need what you’re offering a lot
more than you need what they are offering.

Now you don’t want to drag a negotiation out forever. In any negotiation, the longer it lasts
the more advantageous it becomes to one party or the other. You want that party to be
you.

#3 Be Flexible
The more flexible you can be, the better your negotiating position. If you have two options,
you can play them off one another until you find the best deal. But if all you’ve looked at are
two options, you’re probably choosing between bad and worse. However, if those two were
narrowed down from ten, then you may be looking at your dream, “unicorn” job by the time
all is said and done.
BATNA Negotiating
A commonly used term in negotiating is BATNA - Best Alternative to a Negotiated
Agreement. You want your BATNA to be better than your negotiating partner’s. This is what
happens if this negotiation breaks down and becomes a “lose-lose.” Perhaps your BATNA is
a job that pays slightly less than you are asking. Do all you can to find as many other options
as possible so you are likely to have the best BATNA.
For example, consider a benefits package. Let’s say you have a spouse working at the local
university with a great health insurance benefit for your family. You are looking at a private
practice employee job. You now have the option to negotiate away health insurance at this
job, potentially exchanging it for a higher salary, which is far more valuable to you in this
situation. Since money is fungible for your potential employer, it’s entirely possible that he
would be willing to give you a large chunk of what it would cost him to provide you with
health insurance as salary or a CME fund. Win-win.
An example for negotiation map:

• Best case scenario: The best result you want to get.
Ex: 100$
• Desirable: what you desire to get if you can’t get (best case scenario).
Ex: 90$
• Worst case - BATNA (Best Alternative to negotiated agreement): what you will not
be able to get less than it.
Ex: 80$
• No Go area: less than 80$
7 Types of Clients and How to Deal with Them

1. The unrealistic client

“Hey, I want this to be big and revolutionary. This all has to be done by next month so we
need to move quickly.”

This type of client is often a visionary -- coming to you with lots of big ideas and
expectations. The biggest obstacle is understanding what parts of the vision are reasonable
and feasible within the constraints of timeline and budget.

The fix: Start with a road map from the beginning. Set a timeline of goals and projects, and
set firm parameters on what can be accomplished within your given parameters. It’s
important to validate the big ideas but ask “can we do this?” with our limitations to keep
the focus on the attainable.

2. The "VIP" and its counterpart -- "I have other options"

“I decided to hire you for this, but don’t let me down because I can take my business
elsewhere. I will pay for everything once the work is done.”

Every client is important, but the VIP wishes to be placed above all others. They tend to
position themselves in a manner that demands your sole focus. This is most apparent in the
frequent, often repetitive and unnecessary, communications, and typically come with an
expectation of an immediate reply. After all, what could be more important? VIP status
often goes hand in hand with the "I have other options" attitude. These are the clients who
make you feel like you are always on the edge of losing the job if you do not meet their high
standards.

The fix: It is possible to demonstrate that your client is a priority while still setting
boundaries and space for your other projects. By setting specific touchpoints with the client,
you are acknowledging the importance of their project to you. These specific appointments
also set the appropriate timeframe for client contacts. You are most effective with a focused
objective. At the same time, be prepared to walk away from these types of clients if they
continue to make you feel inferior and don't value your role.

3. The micromanager

“Hey (just) checking in to make sure everything is going well, I texted you last night and
haven’t heard back.”

As experts in the field, we are hired to complete a job that our clients cannot complete
themselves. A micromanager has a hard time acknowledging this distinction. They will try to
stay on top of you throughout the entire process, often questioning tiny details, checking
your work against their own experts, and wanting near-constant updates. This client is
notoriously hard to satisfy, even when they hang on every detail from start to finish.

The fix: Much like the VIP, it’s important to set boundaries. Establish early on that you are
the expert, and that your purpose is to take their vision and run with it in ways that they
cannot. Instill confidence and trust with set checkpoints. While it’s important to hear them
out, it’s equally important to remember that you are there for a reason.

4. The "NYCMNYD" (Now you see me, now you don't) client

“Hey, sorry, I haven’t been on my phone. Let’s jump on a call as soon as we can and I’ll take
care of the invoice by today.”

Tricky to detect, The NYCMNYD can often be mistaken for the urgent client at first glance.
Instead, this describes a client that appears enthusiastic and ready to work out of the gate,
only to disappear when questions arise or reviews are needed. They will often reach out
absentmindedly without a clear grasp of where the product is because of their
disappearance. Be warned: if not handled properly, Thy NYCMNYD can easily turn into a
postpone with delayed calls and meetings turning into confusion and missed deadlines.

The fix: It is important to set expectations clearly and in writing from the beginning. A
contract can often be the key to keeping clients and yourself on task and at the table. When
the contact is waning, reaffirm that the timeline established is important to their success.
It’s also important to keep in mind that, while it’s important to follow up, do not waste your
time chasing them down. Your time is equally important.

5. The "yes, no, maybe" client

“I think this is a good option, but I feel like it can be even better, but I am not sure how I
feel. What are your thoughts?”

Decisions, decisions. The "yes, no, maybe" client will struggle with them all. They may try to
rely on you to make all decisions, or they may feel the need to get third and fourth opinions,
leading to delays and loss of direction. They also struggle with focus and will not offer
feedback when needed. This can lead to mid-project directional changes, extending
deadlines, or dissatisfaction with the final product.

The fix: Yes, no, maybes need a gentle but firm hand steering them in the right direction.
Find a focus quickly, and keep written records to help prevent changes midstream. It’s
important to have a clear "why" for decisions to help prevent wavering. Don’t be afraid to
say no to last-minute course reversals that don’t make sense. Follow up at clear milestones
and interact at the end of each to ensure everyone is on the same page and on task. These
clients more than any need you to show your expertise to create a successful working
relationship and final product.

6. The "behind the times" and the "viral sensation" clients

“We’ve done it this way for the last 20 years; can we keep it the same?” or “I have a bunch
of ideas to make us go viral!”

These two clients are on polar opposite ends of the spectrum but with very similar results
and solutions. The "Behind the times" client wants to stick with what they know. They
describe themselves as “traditional” and are resistant to innovation. The "viral sensation"
client has the opposite problem. They want to jump on every trend, latching on to a meme
or viral video and attempting to stretch their brand to fit in a box where it doesn’t belong.
They envision an impossible outcome with a strategy that really doesn’t fit their company or
goals.

The fix: While it may be counter-intuitive, both of these clients need the same thing: YOU.
Explaining the why behind the channels and techniques that will work for them is important
to push the traditionalists out of their comfort zone and to bring the viral back down to
reality. Set the direction away from fads with focused content and an expert vision.

7. The grasshopper

“That’s great but have you ever thought about doing this instead….”

The grasshopper is a hard client to pin down. They hop from one idea to the next without
structure. You may find yourself struggling to bring them to the table, and dialing in the
project to one point of focus can be even more of a challenge. On task is not in this client's
vocabulary.

The fix: This client needs you to provide the structure to reach goals. It’s a good idea to
write down all of your questions and points of discussion in advance to avoid missing any
crucial points during frequent topic changes.