How can you build rapport with a difficult client in public relations?

The starting point of building a relationship depends on a few key things - 1. research your client well, know them and their business in and out. 2. Learn to listen - your briefs are your best friends - execute and deliver closest possible to the brief. 3. Be responsive and proactive in your approach, that allows the client to understand that you take them seriously. 4. Hygiene is very important - ensure hygiene in your work and your client will find value in whatever you put out.

I'm a firm believer in a thorough onboarding process, this allows you to really understand the client, their product, target audience, and goals but it's also a key opportunity to understand what has gone wrong for them previously. Knowing what the client wants to achieve will inform your strategy. But, possibly as important, is knowing what the client's trigger points are. It could be lack of comms or late delivery of work, whatever it is, having a full understanding will allow you to shape your way of working to suit them and ensure they are not only getting great results but also serviced to a high standard.

Listen, listen, listen and then play back to them what you have heard. It's easy to overlay your perceptions onto what you think you have heard and this may be wrong. By playing back what you hear, you allow them to agree or disagree and discuss the finer points. Plus, when they're aligned, stand firm on how this is going to work. After all, you're the expert and they expect you to be strong in your expertise.

Setting right expectations and telling them the real picture of possibilities. If something is achievable, give them the clear roadmap on how to achieve it and what outcomes are expected. If not, explain them why and what needs to be changed. Solving bigger challenges for them apart from maintaining the regular SOPs. There is a reason behind being difficult and we need to address it by understanding the pain points of their internal stakeholders.

I’ve learned that tailoring approaches based on the client’s industry and knowing their preferred mode of communication is crucial. You wouldn’t want to call a client who prefers texts or emails, or vice versa. Once you believe you’ve built a rapport, consider establishing a personal connection. This could even be finding common ground to discuss, such as attending the same school or college, hailing from the same hometown, or sharing an appreciation for a particular bar in the city. Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that investing effort in understanding their industry and company, always provide tailored solutions, and avoid relying on a one-size-fits-all strategy will always be the cornerstone of building a rapport.

Be transparent in your communication and ensure timely delivery of your work. Be proactive in providing updates, be responsible and ensure meeting mutually decided deadlines on activities.

Over communicating is key with difficult clients. Usually the disconnect comes from them not fully understanding methods. Use every opportunity you can to communicate your expertise, methods and activities. This helps to build trust with your client. The more they trust you, the less difficult they will be.

Honesty and transparency is key. Even if a campaign or project is not working out how it should - talk to the client. But come with solutions to any problems. On a basic level - a PR dashboard that’s accessible and up to date is one of the simplest things to communicate work in progress and activity vs KPIs.

The only piece of advice here is to be proactive in your day-to-day. The pro in professional, stands for proactive! Stay on top of the industry, send regular updates, and keep the conversation warm!

In addition, keep an open mind. Most of the time, your client knows exactly what they want. They only may not know how to express their desires. Open and transparent communication allows the seamless exchange of thoughts and opinions. Your client needs your professional advice, stick to that and offer insights where necessary.

Be a problem solver not a messenger of your situation. Rather than telling a client something wont work out, find a way to benefit the client in an alternative method. A problem solving attitude goes a long way and is highly appreciated.

Remember: clients are humans, too. No one wakes up in the morning and decides to be difficult by making everyone's life miserable. Whether your client is a PR specialist or the VP of PR, they carry a certain level of pressure on their shoulders from cross-functional teams, their supervisor(s), and/or external partners. Understand what challenges they are facing, where their emotions are stemming from, and try to put yourself in their shoes will give you a clearer sense of how to continue working with them. And as Srabani put it perfectly: show them that you're a problem solver, and that you're capable of doing your job. Earn their trust and respect with results and quality performance.

Empathy should apply at every stage but maybe not as pronounced as it should be at different levels. There are clients who necessarily does not seek empathy in their dealings, they want you to just get their work done and bounce out, but as much as you understand this aspect of them, do not be too forward in trying to help where they didn't ask you to. Sometimes you have to be tough, soft and yet firm

Be human and let your client see that you are human. Empathy and appreciation are qualities of being human. Be generous in their usage.

I've found this goes a long way. From the same home town? Support the same sports team? Share a favorite movie or consumer brand? All of these can be the basis for a connection. But they should be an entry point to a broader relationship. You can't rely on talking about the game every week. Use this entry point to find out more about the client.

This once, I was discussing my 'client issues' with my founder and taking her input on how to be more convincing. She started with, "Establish that you're working towards the same goal". In a conversation with the client, when you establish that you're both trying to work towards the same goal, you immediately establish that THERE ARE NO SIDES. This dissolves the division and helps you negotiate/debate better at the same table:)

When dealing with my clients, I go more for a personal approach. The consultation time is for more listening to the client speak and share their requests and expectations. It is also a time for me to observe the client's personality to know how to work better with them. When we share PR plans with clients, I take my time to run them through them just to make sure they are satisfied with the plan and method of execution. Always be open to adapting to any changes and challenges that may occur during the execution of the project.

Your client sees you as some sort of solution to his problem. He believes you have all the answers. You must prove yourself worthy of this high expectations from your client. In journalism, we are encouraged to know a bit of everything. This places you in the position of a problem solver that knows and meets the demands of his clients.

Research your client on social networks like LinkedIn, find out come grounds and and common associates, to refer to. This makes your client more comfortable, knowing that you have similar friends and institutions or organizations.

Building rapport begins in the onboarding. Establish clear expectations and objectives for your working relationship. This minimizes misunderstandings and conflicts. Also, regularly review and adjust these expectations as needed. As your project continues remember to be flexible and willing to adapt to your client's changing needs and preferences. Show that you are responsive to their feedback and are committed to meeting their evolving goals.

Active Listening: Listen sincerely. Before diving into solutions, it's pivotal that clients genuinely feel heard. This acknowledgment not only affirms their emotions but sets the stage for joint problem-solving. Empathy and Understanding: Embrace empathy. By authentically seeing through the client's lens, you mitigate misunderstandings and neutralize potential tensions. Such an approach enhances mutual trust and respect. Offer Solutions, Not Excuses: Prioritize actionable solutions over defending past actions. By involving clients in solution-finding, you accentuate their importance and value. This not only resolves current issues but fortifies future relations.

Some great perspectives above but it’s also worth bearing in mind that everybody can’t work with everybody. Sometimes detecting that a partnership just isn’t right can work in your favour - if you’re really uncomfortable have the confidence to walk.

In most cases, even a difficult client wants to be led. It's important to exude confidence and command. Show them that you know your stuff, and that you are always working in their best interests. That builds respect, which is usually the foundation of creating a solid working relationship.

1. Bigger Picture - Understand the client's perspective on any matter of conflict or disagreement. They may be under pressure/triggers from their internal stakeholders, and you can try to help them address the situation. 2. Common goal - Engage with the client to arrive at a common goal and suggest solutions to the problems or ideas, which can help them achieve this goal. 3. Engagement Experience - Provide a good working experience to the client by ensuring work related hygiene, best-practices, proactivity and genuine interest in the mandate. 4. Disagree but with due respect - In situations where there is a debate or disagreement about any idea or activity or thought process, ensure that you are consciously respectful towards the client

Building rapport with a difficult client in public relations can be challenging, but it's crucial for successful collaboration. Start by active listening, empathizing with their concerns, and showing a genuine interest in their needs. Maintain professionalism, stay patient, and communicate clearly. Tailor your approach to their communication style and preferences. Consistently deliver value and results, exceeding their expectations whenever possible. Finally, be adaptable and willing to compromise, as a cooperative attitude can help mend even the most challenging relationships.

Managing client expectations by defining roles, responsibilities, and timelines is essential to avoid misunderstanding and disappointment. Celebrating successes along the journey with the client team is also so important to build a stronger relationship. Bringing solutions to the table rather than problems can help demonstrate the value you can add to your client.