Breaking up, or moving on?

The end of a business relationship - Breaking up or moving on?

While it may seem that your job is done when the contracted duties have been discharged, there is still quite a bit of work to do if you want your name to gain popularity! The final handshake is only the beginning of a very intricate dance that you, as an independent contractor, need to learn in order to continue making money.

When you were growing up, did your parents drive you crazy during the holidays, or after your birthday, by forcing you to write thank-you notes to practically everyone who had given you a gift? Mine certainly did. I have not heard the end of it since I told my mother that this note-writing compulsion she drove into me, has been my greatest asset in keeping, and gaining more, clients. The thank-you note seems to transcend the personal versus business boundary.

A short is certainly appropriate – something along the lines of “I enjoyed working alongside you on this project and I hope I get the opportunity to work with you again” is a simple and well-received mental handshake.

However, elaborating on that basic plan, can get you information that could really aid your business. A little more time and effort on your part won’t go to waste. Try constructing a feedback form. Address any problems that might have occurred – was the issue handled to their satisfaction? While this should have been handled when the problem occurred, they may have come up with a solution that no one had thought of at the time. Ask the client if there was anything that your company did that was unexpected, both positive and negative. Leave a space where the client can write a few sentences reviewing your work. This quote (hopefully positive), placed in strategic places in your promotional papers, will work wonders. Most importantly, return the favour. Take the time to let your client know, in no uncertain terms, that you would recommend their firm to others. Should they advertise their business on a website, where it is possible for you to leave a testimonial, this would be an even greater form of thanks and really appreciated.

Taking the time to do all of this “extra credit” work, even when the client might not have been ideal, means at the very least the following:
- You have retained a professional manner that anyone could envy.
- Another client down, another lesson learned. There will have been something to gain by reflecting on your work with them.
- Letting your client know that you would work with them again - officially letting them know, not just implied - means they will think of you when another situation they are ill-equipped for comes up.

Basic rules for social situations really do leak into business circumstances, and knowing how to commute those behaviours professionally will make a big difference.
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