How can you handle conflicts with a client when they are not satisfied with your content marketing work?

Conflicts and misunderstandings are avoidable if you were clear (in writing) at the start about the scope of work and communicated (in writing) in a complete way all along. I have never had anything like this happen. Errors and issues, sure. That happens. You ask for detail about what’s off-base and then you go fix it as quickly as you can. But conflict, no.

Se comunicar de forma clara e com respeito é fundamental, n?o é? Contudo, quando enfrentamos um cliente insatisfeito, a habilidade de ouvir ativamente é essencial. Isso vai além de simplesmente escutar; envolve compreender e ponderar as preocupa??es apresentadas. O verdadeiro desafio é equilibrar a defesa das nossas ideias com a abertura para ajustes, atendendo às expectativas do cliente. Ao adotar uma postura colaborativa, que fomenta um diálogo aberto e uma busca conjunta por solu??es, transformamos conflitos em oportunidades para crescimento recíproco. Dessa forma estamos n?o apenas superando obstáculos imediatos, mas também construindo alicerces para rela??es duradouras baseadas em confian?a e respeito.

My way of approaching is to engage in constructive dialogue and maintain an open stance. It’s crucial to actively listen without interruption, demonstrating my commitment to their concerns. By fully understanding the root of their dissatisfaction, I can empathetically acknowledge their perspective. This approach not only shows respect for their viewpoint but also lays a solid foundation for collaboratively working towards a mutually agreeable resolution. From my experience, the way you handle the conflict can bond the relationship and make it even stronger.

Conflicts will come and go but transparency is key. Be empathetic and put yourself in the shoes of your client to understand the root cause of the conflict. Don't try to win the argument, it's not about you. Pro Tip - You and your client, both are on the same team against the problem. People tend to fight with each other and not the problem, that's where conflicts end relationships.

- Investigate and understand what's not working. - Follow through the initial email threads of the project. - Be open and flexible to rework. - Mistakes happen, but be ready to document them. - It's a better way to ensure they won't repeat.

Once you understand what is the reason behind the dissatisfaction, this mutual understanding lays the groundwork for proposing tailored solutions that align with the client's objectives while honoring your professional integrity. Remember, it’s not just about conceding to their demands; it’s about crafting a strategy that leverages your expertise to meet your client's needs effectively. Flexibility is paramount here. Be prepared to iterate on your approach, combining their feedback with your industry knowledge to negotiate an outcome that reignites their confidence in your work.

Die eigentliche Herausforderung liegt oft nicht in der Aushandlung einer L?sung, sondern darin, wirklich zu begreifen, an welchem Punkt im Prozess man falsch abgebogen ist. Als Content-Experte ist es entscheidend, einen Schritt zurückzutreten und den gesamten Prozess von Beginn an zu reflektieren: An welchen Stellen wurden Entscheidungen getroffen, die letztendlich zu dieser Unzufriedenheit geführt haben?

It's worth asking them what a solution looks like to them. What you do often depends on the specifics of the issue. Sometimes miscommunications mean that things get missed and exploring options that make everyone happy is important.

Immediate damage control is needed if you want to retain the client. Don't be lazy. Once you know the culprit, define it in writing. NOW, offer a solution with a clear roadmap detailing the next steps with deadlines that you or your team will take to meet their needs. Pro Tip - Keep it simple, do not offer multiple solutions, they will get confused. Cheers :)

As a content marketer and service provider, you need to understand nothing comes easy. You need to assume your client's doesn't know anything. You need to tell them what to do and how. Identify the pain points, identify them the solutions. Basically it's the current state and desired state. You always need to find a middle ground, where you both are on the same page. Your clients will be satisfied only when you show your expertise.

A written agreement always helps, firstly in clearly agreeing with the deliverables and secondly for transparency. In fact, an agreement is a perfect place to mention your own boundaries as well so that everything between the client and you is settled and agreed upon.

Mais do que criar uma ata, é importante incluir no e-mail de follow up tudo que foi solicitado, combinado, as implica??es e envolve também todo o time interessado. Também é nesse comunicado onde os prazos s?o documentados e atualiza??es (mesmo que negativas ou n?o conclusivas) devem ser centralizadas.

Dejar todo claro, es crucial apra la buena comunicación con los clientes. Reecapitular lo acordado, permite notar si el cliente entendio y esta de acuerdo con lo que tu se esta diciendo. ALgunas veces a pesar de estar en la misma comunicación una persona entiende una cosa y la otra algo diferente. Evita dejar brechas abiertas.

Agreements are a two way street. It sets the right tone for a successful partnership. When you detail what will happen, including your expectations of the client and what the stakeholder's expectation should be of you, everyone can move forward with clarity, understanding, and confidence. Taking the time to communicate fully and clearly is always time well-spent!

This should be way early - you should have a creative kick-off where you go over your plan to build content using their guides (or ones you helped them build) and then, develop a project charter that details each phase - discovery, assessment, implementation - and how it works, what the outcome will be, and what they can expect to receive. Long before you've put pen to paper, you need to have a full understanding of what tools, technologies, processes, and resources they have and need, and build out a plan as part of the agreement. Then, that should be the contract. Refer to the project charter during every meeting and be open about any issues or roadblocks so they understand the process.

I’d start by understanding the “what” and “why” before addressing the “how” to fix any issues. What is the root cause a deliverable doesn’t meet expectations? Does the issue lie in how the work was presented? Is the feedback coming from a place of rigidity or ego? Or is there a true quality issue? From there, you can start to address HOW to make things right. And this can be a combination of educating, compromising and/or redoing work. This framework works whether you’re an in-house content team with “clients” across your organization or you’re a freelancer hired by clients.

Assess both successes and failures in the conflict resolution process. Identify what worked well and areas that need improvement within your content marketing strategies or processes.

Misserfolge sind ein integraler Bestandteil des Lernprozesses und jeder Misserfolg sollte konkrete Ma?nahmen nach sich ziehen. Ob es sich um eine vollst?ndige Umstrukturierung der Content-Strategie oder eine Anpassung der Kommunikation handelt, jedes gewonnene Learning hilft mir pers?nlich und vereinfacht die Zusammenarbeit mit dem n?chsten Kunden. Es ist ebenfalls von gro?er Bedeutung, sich nicht von Misserfolgen l?hmen zu lassen, sondern mit einer positiven Einstellung fortzufahren. Anstatt sich in negativen Gedanken zu verlieren, sollte man sich auf die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse konzentrieren und diese als Chance für Wachstum und Verbesserung begreifen - leichter gesagt als getan ;)

Toutes les expériences négatives ou positives sont bonnes à prendre comme une le?on. Notamment en matière de réseaux sociaux ou de service client. On apprend plus rapidement à se détacher des choses et surtout ne jamais prendre les commentaires pour soi même. En ayant travaillé dans le sport professionnel j’ai du gérer des moments difficiles de supporters énervés du résultats, mais je me souvenais toujours que je n’en était pas responsable. Lors de mes exeperiences quand quelque chose n’allait pas bien ou ne marchait pas je prenais le temps d’expliquer et de trouver la solution pour résoudre le problème de l’autre partie

Toda experiência é válida. As atualiza??es de planejamentos e estratégias devem ser revisitadas sempre. Assumir que estamos em constante evolu??o é muito importante para que o negócio n?o se torne obsoleto.

Es de humanos cometer errores, eso lo sabemos porque además uno nunca está exento. En este caso, debemos mostrarnos más humanos que nunca e intentar solucionar este descontento. Luego de entender la situación y de resolverla de forma eficiente y de la mejor manera para nuestro cliente, es crucial RECONSTRUIR ese vínculo que puede haberse afectado por esta situación. Hoy más que nunca los usuarios estamos dispuestos a expresar publicamente nuestros descontentos con las marcas, por lo que éstas deben trabajar en evitarlo y procurar cuidar la experiencia de sus clientes frente a situaciones como éstas.

To maintain the relationship, you must focus on doing "what's right" instead of proving "who's right." If, during the conflict, the client seems to veer away, then try to refocus them on what really matters. Apologize and ask if you can move forward. Reestablish your expertise and commitment to achieving the client’s objective.

Sabe aquela máxima: "N?o leve para o cora??o"? Pois é. Sei que falar é mais fácil que executar. Mas é essencial que para manter um cliente após um erro cometido, lembrar que n?o devemos remoer o erro, e sim, manter a comunica??o empática, e trabalhar na resolu??o de problemas. Depois de um erro cometido, entregue tudo no prazo e supere as expectativas. Isso vai elevar sua moral com o cliente e ainda melhorar sua comunica??o. Cliente gosta de ser ouvido e respeitado. Quando você se disp?e a ouvir, resolver e achar a solu??o, mostra que você tem profissionalismo.

I use short (two questions) client satisfaction interviews after I've finished (or walked away from) a project. I'm sometimes surprised at the positives and always learn from the negatives. Even a client with a project that went sideways can be saved if you demonstrate a willingness to learn.

Communiquer rapidement pour montrer l’intérêt que vous apportez aux problématiques et au mécontentement de votre client. Passer d’une ??relation client?? à une ??relation vip?? en privilégiant l’écoute active et montrer qu’une ??solution de résolution?? est possible. S’enrichir de cette expérience pour faire monter en gamme vos produits.

Always ask the company/your clients for their brand guide (if they have any) and the tone they are looking to set for themselves. The type of brand a client has aligns with the type of copy and tone they will have for content marketing. Asure them that your inspiration came from your conversation with them about the tone of voice, the brand imaging/creative you both discussed in previous calls. In your brief, have a “inspo” section that you can link brand guidelines, creative imaging and other inspos they may have.

I always look at conflicts as ‘catalysts’ in strengthening bonds with clients. Conflicts happen when the clients are clear about what they want. And there is nothing better than clients who know their needs. What’s important is to set the expectations right and have open channels of communication.

Dealing with conflicts related to trust in content marketing work with a dissatisfied client requires transparency, honesty, and a commitment to resolving concerns. It's crucial to listen carefully to the reasons for dissatisfaction, acknowledge the existing issues, propose realistic solutions, and demonstrate a genuine commitment to improvement, reinforcing trust through concrete actions and positive outcomes.

You should NOT have conflicts if you are following content marketing best practices. You may have misunderstandings, but as long as you have built a content plan/guide with them, it's documented with phases and deliverables, and it's a living document that you update on a regular basis with them, there should be no conflict. Conflicts generally start because people misunderstand what you do and how content works. As a pro, you should know this and always build into your plans the educational part of it. Don't jump ahead or walk before you can run. Stress the importance of the discovery phase, the assessment phase, and the implementation phase. Lots of people jump to the last one and then, they're confused why there's an issue.

Los conflictos nos permiten conocer a profundidad las inconformidades del cliente. Es importante saber escuchar su punto de vista y proponer acciones de mejora para que la relación perduré en el tiempo.

Having been on both sides of this... There are two reasons why a client won't be happy with your work: 1. They messed up the brief, communicated terribly, and expected you to read their mind (basically, they're a terrible client) 2. They did the opposite of #1, and you totally missed the mark anyways (you didn't ask enough follow ups, were late, had an off month, whatever). My point is: It's usually their fault or yours. (Duh.) So... If it's yours, OWN IT. If it's theirs, RUN, RESPECTFULLY. Everybody makes mistakes. Good clients understand and respect that. But bad clients rarely get better. So, if they suck, don't burn bridges. But, get the f*ck out. And if you sucked, apologize, then do better. Hope this helps.

Keep an eye out for red flags. If you messed up, fine, you can work to fix it. However, if they're not happy even though you've followed their brief to the letter, this could be a red flag for the future of the relationship. Sometimes, clients don't quite know what they want and there can be a disconnect between higher-ups and those who write the brief for you to follow. If this is the case, it could signal a tricky working relationship in the future. If you can find a way to streamline this process, that's great. But, often, these kinds of clients can be more trouble than they are worth.

Do NOT Get into Self-doubt: It's OK to make mistakes. It's also OK to see your clients not satisfied without any mistake from your side. In other words, everything is fine unless you do not get perplexed. If the client expresses their dissatisfaction, do not blame yourself under any circumstances. Communicate clearly, understand the gaps and take actions accordingly. If there's any mistake from your side, make sure that you don't repeat them. Or, if the scenario is something else, negotiate the deals politely without harming your business goals and vision.

As much as it is crucial not to play the (safe) blame game when things go wrong with a client or project, it is equally important to redirect those who intend to blame you/your team for errors, lead them towards the solution and push your team to take the necessary action/next steps. While solving the situation, appoint a team member to also investigate the issue from a 360° perspective so there are no loopholes left and there won't be any room for error.

The best way to limit conflict is to be fully prepared. Always insist on a content brief. If they don't provide one, say you will draft one for them. If they provide you with one, check it carefully and insist on feedback rounds until you are happy with it. This way, you will also discover the maturity of the client and whether it is wise to continue the relationship.