mastering the client consultation - the scope strategy (wordcamp wilmington 2017)

@nathaningram nathaningram.com#WCILM


Hi, I’m Nathan!From Birmingham, Alabama

Host at iThemes TrainingFreelance Web Business Owner since 1995

Business Coach for WP Freelancers since 2014


Overview• Why you desperately need a strategy

for client consultations.• The purpose of the client consultation• The SCOPE Strategy


OverviewQuestions at the EndSlide Link at the End

Freelance Table Talk at Lunch afterward


Why the SCOPE Strategy?

Have you evergotten nervous during a

client consultation because youdidn’t know what to say next?



Have you everspent hours talking to a client

and gotten nowhere?



Have you everleft a meeting and realized

you forgot to cover somethingimportant for the project?



Have you everspent time agonizing over a proposal

only to discover you wereway off the client’s price point?



Take Control of the Client Consultation

You’re spending your time.Make it count.

@nathaningram nathaningram.com#WCILM@nathaningram nathaningram.com#WCILM

the

Purposeof the

Client Consultation


What the Consultation is Not

Is not to try to sell a website. It’s a first date.

You need to be sure this relationshipis going to work.



Is not to refine the client’s business plan.

You might be able to help,but that’s a separate service.



Is not to answer “how” questionsYou’re there to discover the “what”


5 Purposes of the Consultation

S C O P E



S C O P EScope

Learn enough about the project to create a proposal.



S C O P EChemistry

Determine if this is a client you can work with.



S C O P EOngoing

Explain the importance of your ongoing services.



S C O P EProcess

Set expectations by walking through your process.



S C O P EEstimate

Provide a ballpark estimate and get client buy-in.


Using this method, I closed over

90%of my proposals

in 2016.


S C O P EScope

Learn enough about the project to create a proposal


Client Intake Questions

5 Main BucketsThe Business The LaunchThe Purpose The BudgetThe Website


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?


The Business§ What is your price point?§ How do you find customers now?§ Do you have an existing brand identity?

Goal: Determine how muchthey understand their business



The client may not be ready for a website.Suggest a consulting arrangement.



Goal: Determine how muchthey understand their business


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 muchstrategy assistance you’ll need to provide


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?

The client may not be ready for a website.Suggest a discovery phase.


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?


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?


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.


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 andstart the discussion about ongoing services.


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.


S C O P EChemistryDetermine if this is a client

you can work with.


Chemistry

Listen and Watch for Red FlagsBy the end of the Scope, you should have a feeling whether this is a person you can work with or not.


Common Red Flags


Common Red FlagsUnanswered Questions

The client doesn’t know what is needed.A discovery phase can be helpful.


Common Red FlagsDisrespectfulness

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.


Common Red FlagsScheduling Problems

The client is hard to reach, reschedulesor is late to your meeting.


Common Red FlagsComplaints

The client complains abouta previous web developer

who “did everything wrong.”


Common Red FlagsEmergencies

The client needs everythingdone immediately.


2 Frequent Mistakes


2 Frequent MistakesRunning 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!


2 Frequent MistakesThe Hero Syndrome

A need to “fix” the client.A need to be needed.

Client Co-Dependency.Ultimately, this will wreck your business.


S C O P EOngoing

Explain the importance of your ongoing services.


Selling Management ServicesThe Client Needs It!

The key is education.No commitment yet, just explain the necessity.

Provide training or a white glove service.Much more on this tomorrow…


S C O P EProcess

Set expectations by walking through your process.


Explaining Your Process

You have a process right?Every Client, Every Project, Every Time


Explaining Your ProcessTalk it through with the client

Explain the steps and toolsExplain the value your process brings

Set expectations early


S C O P EEstimate

Provide a ballpark estimate and get client buy-in.


Creating an EstimateBallpark not Exact

By this point you should know enough about the project to offer a price range.

I usually give a $1000 range.


Creating an EstimateGet 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…


Using this method, I closed over

90%of my proposals

in 2016.


Thanks!NathanIngram.com/WCILM

Training.iThemes.com

Freelance Table Talk at Lunch – Let’s Chat!