50 Rules to keep a client happy

As Ad/Graphic Design students and/or professionals, we all will have clients. Here is a list of rules I came across in one of my classes. This is just a reminder of how to keep our clients happy:)

1. Product Knowledge- Know your client's products at least as well as your client does
2. Keep Clients Informed- About themselves and about their competitors
3. Keep clients informed about you (or your agency)
4. Constant Contact (what have you done for me lately?)
5. More Contact - Phone Frequently
6. Required Reading - Trade publications and clipping files
7. Personality (if you don't have one, get into another business)
8. Remembrances (birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, etc.)
9. PUNCTUALITY!
10. Call Reports (keep a record of all client contact sessions)
11. Progress Report (List of projects sent to client regularly)
12. Client Notebook
13. Record Keeping (Keep it up to the minute)
14. Diary (Past, present, and future dates)
15. SOP Book (Standard Operating Procedure, or each client's "Sacred Cows")
16. Client Confidentiality
17. Entertaining (Let's do lunch)
18. Corporate Gifts (A bad habit to get into)
19. Out-of-town Clients (Take the time to spend some time)
20. Sportsmanship (Don't cheat, to win or lose!)
21. Prevarication - NEVER, EVER, LIE!
22. Friendship
23. Proofread
24. Be polite and prepossessing (Good manners and a good appearance)
25. Double Jeopardy (Don't entertain two clients at once)
26. Your whereabouts (let them know where you'll be)
27. Work Hours - Work when your client works
28. Promptness (Response is everything)
29. Credit- Be a "Build up person" (Make them look good and you'll look good, too)
30. Picking up tabs
31. Homework (Be prepared)
32. Loyalty
33. Admit Mistakes - Take the blame
34. Presenting your product - Face to face
35. Pirating Personnel
36. Conspicuous consumption (Be careful how you spend)
37. Account personnel switching (status quo is better than no status at all)
38. Pay your bills (enough said!)
39. Keep Au Courant (Be a pop-culture, daily news, breaking headline maven)
40. Meetings (know what you're doing and who you are doing it for)
41. New Ideas (Don't go stale)
42. Clearance - of in-house publicity, sensitive correspondence, tie-in ads
43. Be good on your feet (confidence is a great sales tool)
44. Be a good listener
45. Telephone Courtesy
46. Don't go over budget
47. Don't hire friends, relatives or client's friends or relatives
48. Use your head and your client's products
49. Imbibing (over and under)
50. Do good work cheap

your appreciated,
♥Ez.