Congrats! You’ve landed multiple clients for your business. After the initial excitement wears off, the reality of what this actually means soon sets in. How will you manage this? What tools can available to help you feel less overwhelmed?

I spent the first 10+ years of my career working in government. I worked with a variety of legislators and they taught me a great deal about how to manage multiple clients. Each one had a different work style, represented a unique part of the state and had particular communication needs. I quickly learned what worked and what didn’t as I began working with them. Here are a few things I’ve learned that may help you manage multiple clients:

1) Set expectations early 
Meet with each of your clients early on and ask them what their expectations are. Do they expect you to meet with them in person each month? Does their project require multiple staff members? Ask questions. Now’s the opportunity for you to set the stage for your work together. Setting expectations now mean you have a clear path towards accomplishing your goals for your client.

2) Use tools to help you stay organized 
Having multiple clients means that organization is key. Track each client and their project needs. Include key dates, contact information, special items to note. What kind of tools should you use? There are a lot of cool project management programs out there. Spreadsheets also work. Check out the NISM content calendar if you’re developing content for multiple clients. Take a class. Just make sure that you’re doing all you can to stay on top of your client’s projects.

3) Communicate
You’re probably reading this and thinking well, sure, I will communicate with my clients. Here’s what I mean by communicating: speak clearly and listen well. Get to know your clients on both a personal and professional level. Ask them about their kids’ soccer game. Build that foundation now so that when you need to ask them the tough questions about their particular project, it’s a little bit easier because you have already established a relationship. You’ll be amazed at how truly listening to your clients makes a big difference.

The second part of this is to think about the words you use to communicate. Don’t talk down to your clients or talk in circles. Think about what you want to say and how you want to say it. When we choose to communicate effectively, both parties understand what the other is saying and we’re able to accomplish great things together.

Take these 3 items and use what works best for you. Share your success stories below. We’d love to hear from you.

Author: Amy Berger

Amy Berger is a corporate communications writer based in Minnesota. Previously, she spent over ten years working for state and federal government and brings a unique perspective of how best to utilize communication methods. She’s a big believer in evaluating communications strategies on a regular basis and finding new ways to deliver information. Amy has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Gustavus Adophus College and a Master’s in Business Administration from the College of Saint Scholastica.

Connect with her through Linkedin and Twitter @amykberger