What should you do when a client disregards your email marketing advice?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Quora suggests focusing on clear and effective communication. Make sure the client understands your advice and why it's important.
Email marketer from GrowthMentor suggests setting clear expectations from the start. Explain the potential consequences of ignoring your advice and the benefits of following it.
Email marketer from Search Engine Journal suggests providing education and training to the client's team. Equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to implement your recommendations effectively.
Email marketer from Neil Patel Blog recommends backing up your advice with data and analytics. Present concrete evidence that supports your recommendations and shows how they can improve results.
Email marketer from DigitalMarketer emphasizes the importance of building a strong relationship with the client. When clients trust you and value your expertise, they are more likely to follow your advice.
Email marketer from MarketingProfs recommends clearly outlining the potential consequences of ignoring your advice. Show the client what could happen if they don't follow your recommendations.
Email marketer from LinkedIn recommends documenting all your advice and recommendations in writing. This way, you have a record of what you suggested and the reasons behind it.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares their personal favorite client response is “I understand what you’re saying, but our business has needs.”
Email marketer from Reddit explains that sometimes you have to accept the client's decisions, even if you disagree. Your job is to provide the best possible advice, but ultimately, the client makes the final call.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that you have to teach clients to be clients and that there’s often low rates of adoption.
Email marketer from Smart Insights suggests offering alternative solutions and compromises. If the client is hesitant, try to find a middle ground that addresses their concerns while still improving results.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from SpamResource suggests that sometimes the best course of action is to 'fire' the client. If a client consistently disregards advice and their actions are harming their deliverability (and potentially yours), it may be time to end the business relationship to protect your own reputation and resources.
Expert from Email Geeks jokingly says when asked “What’s stopping us?” their answer is “Geometry.”
Expert from Word to the Wise emphasizes the importance of documenting recommendations and managing client expectations upfront. It is recommended to document clear expectations and risks involved if the advice is not followed, potentially including a disclaimer in the contract.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from HubSpot advises ensuring clear understanding of the client's goals and objectives. Align your recommendations with these goals to increase the likelihood of adoption.
Documentation from Mailchimp advises presenting industry best practices and benchmarks. Show how your recommendations align with what successful companies are doing.
Documentation from Litmus recommends setting up a testing and optimization framework. Demonstrate the impact of your recommendations through A/B tests and other experiments.
Documentation from SendGrid recommends conducting a risk assessment. Evaluate the potential negative consequences of not following your advice and present them to the client.