Your clients generally like when you get the job done quickly. It shows them you have the experience and confidence to do a good job and give them the solution or prize without delay, often at lower cost.
But if you move too quickly, they may wonder why.
Did you overlook anything? Take too many risks? Make mistakes that will come back to haunt them?
Did you push them to settle too soon, for less than they could have gotten?
At the other extreme, if you move too slowly, they may think you don’t know what you’re doing or you’re dragging your feet to bill more hours.
Too fast, or too slow, and you make clients nervous.
It’s the same with prospective clients.
After a meeting or presentation, if you follow up too quickly or too often, they may wonder if you need the work. If you take too much time to follow-up, however, they might think you don’t care about their business and won’t give them enough attention.
Each case or client is different, of course. Set the pace accordingly.
Consider the size and complexity of the case, the emotional aspects of the issues, the number of decision makers, deadliness, and the best practices in their industry or market.
Talk to the client and find out what’s most important to them. Some will tell you they want the best results, no matter how long it takes or what it costs. Some will want you to prioritize cost. And some will tell you they don’t know and ask what you recommend.
In that case, think about what you would want if you were the client—and do that.
