Welcome back to The Blink – weekly, practical, agency practices directly to your inbox.
Today, we’re tackling a surprisingly contentious topic: The potential pitfalls of having too many client update meetings. Let’s dive in…
On the surface, frequent client meetings seem like a solid strategy. More meetings equal more communication, which should theoretically lead to happier clients and smoother projects, right?
Here’s why overscheduling client update meetings could be doing more harm than good.
1. Time Drain on Productivity
Each meeting takes a chunk out of your team’s productive work hours – not just the meeting time itself, but the prep and follow-up too. This can lead to decreased efficiency and slower project momentum, as focus shifts from doing the work to talking about the work.
2. Increased Client Anxiety
Contrary to popular belief, too many meetings can actually increase client anxiety. It can give the impression that constant oversight is needed because things aren’t going smoothly. Plus, it often leads to overanalyzing minor details instead of focusing on the big picture.
The more frequent the meetings, the less impactful they become. When updates are given too often, they’re likely to be less substantial, leading to discussions that aren’t a valuable use of anyone’s time.
Finding the Right Balance
So, how do you strike the perfect meeting frequency? Here are a few pointers:
Remember, effective communication isn’t measured by the frequency of meetings but by the clarity and productivity those meetings bring to a project. By finding the right rhythm, you can enhance both client satisfaction and team efficiency.
At IPPC, here’s how we do it:
