Let’s face it—relationships take work

You’ve worked hard to gain and retain clients, honing your craft and your customer service skills up to this point. And from the looks of it, things are working out. Bravo!

If your digital agency has even a small list of long-term clients, it means that you’ve been cracking at this for quite some time now. If your churn rate is relatively low, it means you’re really getting this whole thing down. Your clients are happy, your sites are well-maintained, and your reputation is solid.

It looks good for your agency if you’ve been retaining multiple clients for years at this point. But nothing, and no client, lasts forever—at least, not without some substantial effort.

As a digital agency owner, you never forget your “firsts”. But are they getting enough of the attention they deserve for betting on you when others weren’t ready to?

It’s crucial that your long-term clients are receiving the trust and deference that they’ve earned in their loyalty to you over the years.

Why you need to maintain active relationships with your long-term clients

Relationships are all about give and take. 

Your client has been supporting your agency through hell and high water, and even through times when their own industries were taking a hit. 

But what are they getting in return?

Here are some reasons why you need to be giving your most faithful clients your all—and then some.

Hold off competitors who come calling

In your daily bad-news bulletin: you’re not that different from everyone else. 

It’s no reason to give in, though—it’s simply more of a motivation to make yourself stand out. 

As with any solid relationship, outside interest alone should not be enough to derail what you’ve built —that is if you’ve been tending to your client relationship in the way it deserves. 

Your rivals will have no qualms about swiping your clients, so why give them an advantage? 

Avoid the “short end of the stick”

We all act in our own self-interest—it’s part of human, and agency, nature. You’re most likely trying to create leads and curiosity through promotional pricing and deals. It’s certainly an excellent way to start new clients down the pipeline.

But what are your long-term clients seeing when they look at your site and there are no perks for their dedication? 

With nothing exciting or beneficial to enhance their interest, it could become their motivation to explore other agencies.

Prioritize human consumers, not download numbers

If you’re producing content to promote your agency, be it a blog, a podcast, or newsletter, how are you including the clients that have been with you the longest? 

If you’re only creating material for the top of the pipeline, you’re running a major risk of leaving your long-term clients feeling disenfranchised.

Stay at the front of your clients’ minds

Your relationship with your client could be humming along, perfectly smoothly, which seems like the ideal situation. 

But any time that you’re spending outside of your client’s consciousness is a waste of a valuable opportunity to gain new clients. 

The more positively present you are in their minds, the more likely that you’ll be recommended to someone else.

Keep your client-agency relationship fresh

Let’s continue looking at ideas to consider when making your long-term clients feel valued.

Schedule regular check-ins to enhance business interactions

How long has it been since you’ve had a thorough, face-to-face run-through of your client’s sites? What’s worked for them, and what hasn’t? 

Have you moved into more of a latent maintenance phase, or are you still maintaining genuine communication?

Set up a time for a “full debriefing” at a rate of recurrence that’s convenient for you both. That way, they feel heard, not simply sustained.

Make them the star of your social media

Everyone loves to be the center of attention once in a while.

In your content creation, why not include your most-beloved and valued clients, giving them the recognition they deserve? 

It works out well for both of you, because when your clients feel appreciated, you’ll be appreciated. And chances are, they’ll be increasing traffic towards your agency, simply by reposting content about themselves.

Build in “loyalty advantages” to revamp their current plans

Don’t let the green-eyed monster of envy towards your new leads take your long-term clients to one of your competitors. 

Instead, see how they can be included in your new-lead promotions as well, in a way that is beneficial to both parties. 

Whether through a restructuring of their current service plans or a discount on new features being introduced, don’t let the spark of mutual gain die.

Connect them with similar industry professionals

At the end of the day, you and your clients’ best interests are not so far diverged. 

If your client communicates to you that they’d be open to being “set up” with other professionals in their field, make the introduction! When people who share positive experiences with you come together, everyone wins.

Remember, though—given the inevitability that your agency’s name will arise in conversation, make sure that both sides of the connection are well-maintained and valued. If not, it could backfire!

Maintain long-term client relationships as you grow

With one eye on the quality of your agency’s products and services, and the other on client relationships, you’re far down the road to continued success. The job’s not done yet, though!

Consider outsourcing smaller tasks for more client time

Your time is limited, as is your clients’. If you’re going to dedicate effort to each of your clients in a way that they feel valued, something is going to have to give. 

Depending on the size and scope of your operations, you might have someone who permanently handles your client communications. If you don’t, that person will have to be you.

If you’re not quite at the point where you feel comfortable adding another permanent hire, consider outsourcing your tasks to someone like us here at GoWP. 

That way, you’re not in a constant tug-of-war between client-related guilt and output-related guilt.

Small gestures make a big difference—budget for the occasional swag

Look around your work area. Tell us that you can’t find at least one agency’s mug, pen, sticker, or even t-shirt that’s become a staple of your day-to-day. 

Some might consider the idea of company swag to feel outdated and unnecessary. But the ubiquity of product placement works in your favor, along with the amazing feeling of receiving something in the mail.

These small tokens of appreciation make a difference in whether the client feels that you’re thinking of them or not.

Find the balance between attentive and annoying

Be secure in your relationship—just not too secure. 

You’ve recognized that there’s a need to maintain more consistent communication with your client, but an appropriate amount of interaction is key. After all, you’re a service provider in the larger scheme of your clients’ business organizations. 

Ask your MVCs (Most Valuable Clients) about their preferred frequency of check-ins, but if they say it’s not necessary, that’s okay too! It doesn’t mean they’re out the door. 

In fact, the simple act of suggesting your own availability could be enough to charm them.

And remember: Churn happens. It’s okay. But do your best to learn from your mistakes and to keep developing your client relationships for long-lasting results!

For more ideas and advice on the do’s and don’ts of building long-term client relationships, check out our Digital Agency Owners Facebook group. You might just find even more helpful tips from someone who’s been through the same situation!