Time to check-in with your clients

Year-end is an excellent time to check-in with your clients.

Here’s what to talk about:

1. Them & their organization
   
   Ask your client what’s on their agenda for the remainder of the year. What are their mission-critical year-end needs?
   
   Inquire about management pressure. How has it shifted over the past year? And, how do they expect it to shift in Q4.
   
   Talk to them about budget and hires. Do they feel their budget is under pressure? Are there any concerns? And, what about new team members? Are they looking to hire people (who could do your work)?
   
2. Their industry & trends
   
   Discuss efficiencies your client could benefit from; lessons learned at other clients.
   
   Talk about the year-end pressures in your client’s industry. Tip: Ask your colleagues what they experience at their clients. Use those findings to back-up your story.
   
   Address the competition and how they’ve developed over the past months. Discuss acquisitions, joint ventures, spin-offs, deals they did, and key hires.
   
   Speak about relevant challenges and opportunities that are on the horizon for next year.
   
   Inquire about trends. Will your client invest in GenAI? Are they struggling with ESG concerns? What do they plan to do in the diversity and inclusion space?
   
3. The work you’re currently doing for them
   
   Confirm goals for the assignments you’re currently working on. Are they still the same? Has something changed?
   
4. The next year
   
   Help your client with a plan for the coming year. Make sure it’s clear who will be doing what and when. Prioritize actions based on their expected impact.

The talking points above are based on an article by The Mad Clientist geared towards lawyers. Most likely the list is not finite.

I’m interested, what are some of the things you’ll be discussing with your clients?

Thank you for reading Nudge #032, sent to busy subject matter experts on September 17, 2024.