Whiteboard Media

One thing that Whiteboard Media has always relied upon is referrals - in fact, our business leads come almost exclusively from partner relationships and client referrals. I attribute this second (and much larger) source of business to our commitment to making every client relationship thrive.

For me there is a real difference between being an excellent project manager, and taking a truly vested stake in the success of one's clients. The best way I can explain this commitment is in regards to the exploration phase that happens at the beginning of every project - during these critical conversations, the Whiteboard Media team learns about the client, the background and future goals of the project, and the budget, time restrictions, and other important factors that impact the solution we propose.

Proposing a solution can be complicated by the fact that sometimes what a client wants (or thinks they need) has risks or problems that they may not have anticipated. Pleasing the client is the golden rule for success in business, but giving them what they truly need (based on our analysis and experience) is our top priority. If we don't believe we can be successful in a project or client relationship, we'll pass on the job.

I've found that clients respect this attitude, and as such we've built an incredibly loyal base of returning customers who also act as a loosely-networked sales team, referring us to new and like-minded organizations.

One element that can't be overlooked is communication. As a self-described "people person" this comes naturally to me, but sometimes in the thick of a busy week, it's easy to forget about the simple things (like an email update or informal phone call) that make relationships thrive and, as a result, vastly improve the quality and effectiveness of the final product.