Without meeting in person, it's a little more challenging to establish an instant connection with a client, but building trust remotely is very much doable and critical to the long-term success of the relationship. So how do you build trust? Consistent communication and setting up expectations from the beginning of the relationship. A client should never have to wonder what you're doing for them and when. When they start to wonder what's going on it's because you haven't communicated with them appropriately and you haven't clarified expectations. Don't do this. This is by far, the biggest mistake in client relationship building. Read on to learn our best tips and recommendations for building remote client relationships with your team!

1. Your Guide to Building
Remote Client
Relationships

2. Trust
is the basis of any
customer-provider
relationship.
Without trust, there
is no relationship.
ROBERT LUCAS

3. But how do you
cultivate
a relationship built on
trust & teamwork with
someone you’ve never
met in person or only
see occasionally?

4. A client should
never have to wonder
what you’re doing for
them and when.
Have
consistent
communication
and
established
expectations
from the beginning
of the relationship.

5. Chances are your company has all the right digital
tools in place for you to successfully interact with
your client on a daily basis. Now it’s time to make
the best use of those tools and go further into
building a relationship with your clients.
Focus on the
relationship,
not the distance.

6. When it comes to remote partnerships,
nothing replaces someone’s voice. Be on
the phone or video chat regularly as it
makes sense, OUTSIDE of a scheduled
status meeting or big presentation.
Listen

7. Get to know your client as much as
possible—inside and outside of work.
Ask insightful questions about the inner
workings of the client’s team and
day-to-day life.
This type of knowledge helps
you anticipate their needs better,
fill in any blindspots they might
have, and open the door for
expanded partnership.
Ask

8. Customer success
is not about support.
It's not about being
reactive. It's about
being proactive.
GUY NIRPAZ
Be proactive.

9. Do the competitive research
they don’t have the time for.
Stay up-to-date on the client’s
industry and know about major
news regarding the company.
Read

10. Don’t just present that
Quarterly Business Review to
them–be prepared with how
you’ve already made a plan to
help with next steps.
Everyone likes a little value-add. If
you’ve got the internal bandwidth,
why not add in a little extra creative
work the client didn’t ask for but will
appreciate? Or, maybe you’ve got that
deliverable ready in advance–get
them excited!
Overdeliver

11. Be their
biggest
advocate.
When a presentation goes well, send out a
recap note copying their teammates who may
not have been a part of it. Talk about how
excited both teams are. Build the client up.
Make them look good.
If the client has an internal presentation you
are aware of, see what additional support
they might need. Anything you can do to make
them look good in turn makes you and your
company an invaluable resource to them.

12. Be a
little extra!
Know your client’s birthday and celebrate. Learn
what their favorite “things” are—favorite snacks,
favorite alcoholic beverages, favorite restaurants,
favorite Starbucks drink order... you get the idea.
When it makes sense, send them a
little something that is their favorite.
If they have kids, know their names. If they have
hobbies, know what they are. Know the nuances of
what makes a good or bad day for them personally
or professionally.

13. Remote work grew 44% over the last 5 years,
before Covid turned the world upside down.
Your client may be right there in the same
boat with you—just looking to do great work
together & to get to know you, too.
Let’s not forget, there’s a chance
some of your clients WFH, too

14. Results Driven.
Digital Forward.
We are a people-first B2B
digital marketing agency.
www.proofpoint.marketing