List of Things to Discuss With New Clients

Oct 03, 2021

Everyone has a love-hate relationship with the start of new relationships. You know; that beginning phase where you can’t quite use the bathroom while they’re in the same building as you, and your best side is still shining past all your flaws. Well, the same goes for new client relationships too. Everyone loves the thought of getting clients (of course, more business) but the thought of having to divulge all your secrets right away can seem daunting; however, it must be done. We have compiled a list of topics you should be discussing with your new clients prior to beginning any type of work, as well as how to break the ice. 

 

Deal Breakers

It’s important to understand what both yours and your client’s ‘deal breakers’ are before entering into a work relationship. This way you can avoid any hurt feelings, the risk of a bad review, and possibly even losing a client. For instance, if one of your clients insists that you only work with them and no other companies or brands, this can be a deal breaker for you if your business depends on the income from multiple clients at once. 

 

We suggest having this conversation in person or over a Zoom or Google Meet call so that both you and your client can fully understand the reasoning behind any deal breakers, and ask questions in real time. This also avoids the possibility of misunderstandings in a very sensitive topic.

 

It’s generally easiest to just dive into the conversation of deal breakers, as opposed to ‘beating around the bush’ so that you don’t miss anything, and neither does your client. Even starting off with something as simple as:

 

“Just so it’s out in the open, do you have any deal breakers when it comes to the work we’re going to be doing” 

 

This way they (the client) understands exactly what you want to know, and can give you a direct answer. This also provides a great opportunity for you to follow up with your potential deal breakers by saying:

 

“Great. I’ll keep that in mind going forward. Just so you are aware, some of mine are…” 

This way you have acknowledged their response, and also have a seamless transition. 

 

Communication

When it comes to any relationship, communication is always key. You want to be able to understand how the other person, or people, in the relationship communicate, so that you can effectively get your message across and be heard. It’s important, especially in business, to remember that not everyone is going to have the same communication style, and in order to accommodate this individuality, it’s best to be able to mould your communication to fit the client’s needs. 

 

One way you can subtly ask new clients their preferred method of communication is during an intake survey or questionnaire. A question such as:

 

“How do you prefer to communicate (insert business name here) when it comes to work-related topics? Select all that apply.” 

 

This can be great because it gives the client the opportunity to choose more than one type of communication, and you also have it documented for future reference. 

 

If you like to do things old school and prefer face-to-face communication while you’re just getting to know your clients, you can ask them something along the lines of:

 

“And just so that I know, what is the best way for me to contact you should I have any questions?” 

 

This way it’s direct and not intrusive at the same time.

 

Disagreements

Unlike personal relationships, business relationships typically have some sort of mediator in the case of any type of disagreement or falling-out between the parties involved. Disagreements can happen often if the proper precautions aren’t taken prior to starting a job. Therefore, it’s important to always indicate what will happen in the event of a disagreement or argument, that way everyone is on the same page. 

 

One way you can communicate this is in your contract. Prior to doing any work for a client, they should sign a contract that stipulates the work that was agreed upon, the remuneration, and how arguments will be handled. This way, should one arise, you have it in writing that this is what was agreed upon prior to entering into any working relationship. 

 

Additionally, you can also give the common courtesy of letting new clients know in an onboarding interview that:

 

“Just in the event that there is a disagreement or something is unsettled, this is how it will be handled…”

 

That way they are reminded of the clause, and can ask any questions should they arise. 

Take Away

Onboarding new clients can be a tricky process, and it will definitely take a few clients before you figure out what processes and communication methods work best for you. These three things are just some of the many important topics that should be covered prior to starting any kind of work with or for a client. 


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