I try not to play favorites with my clients, but there are some who I am really, really delighted to be working with. Here are a few things they do that make me love them:

Have clear, agreed upon expectations. Clients who read the statement of work I send them, and understand that it lays out what I’ll be doing for the price agreed upon, are already ahead of the game.

Trust me to do my job. I know that my clients know their business better than I do. But it makes things go much more smoothly when they realize that I know research, and trust my recommendations.

Respond! Clients who go radio silent for weeks at a time make me sad. This also delays me from getting them the information that  will help them. Clients who answer emails, provide feedback, and show up to meetings on time make me happy and get what they need.

Be nice. Lucky for me, everyone I work with is someone I wouldn’t mind having lunch with. I plan to keep it this way.

Pay promptly. Clients who let me avoid endless back and forth with them and their accounting departments get many, many gold stars.