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This past December, I wrote about finding a 鈥減erfect fit鈥� with clients to fill their desires and holes and keep a relationship going. Eight months later, we鈥檙e still participating in lively discussions about how to generate client contact and maintain meaningful relationships.

In the vast ocean of opportunity for true engagement, we keep landing the same fish: 鈥淒o you have any work?鈥� or 鈥淗ave I told you about the latest service we provide?鈥�

We seem to be missing the good bait, which is: 鈥淲hat does the client want?鈥�

There are plenty of answers at SMPS events, in industry blog posts, and through expert articles in social media. Here is a sampling of the responses:

Kelly Riggs, president of Vmax Performance Group, said during a session on 鈥淭he Science of Maximizing Revenue鈥� at an SMPS national conference that a client selects a consultant because:

• It has confidence in the consultant鈥檚 work
• It perceives less risk working with that consultant
• The consultant understands the client鈥檚 business and what is important to the person
• The consultant鈥檚 people are helpful, cooperative and easy to work with
• The consultant takes responsibility for the work product
• The consultant solves problems others cannot
• The consultant has more resources available than the competition
• The consultant is responsive and addresses issues quickly
• The consultant provides value to the client beyond the project work
• The client trusts the consultant

Howard Wolff of the website wrote a post on 鈥淕reat Advice 鈥� Directly From Your Clients.鈥� It comes from a client panel that offered candid remarks on how to interact with them.

• Know the client鈥檚 problems well enough to demonstrate a tool, methodology or approach that could help solve them.
• Help the client gauge what it would be like to work with you, the company and the team.
• Look for a low-risk opportunity to prove the company鈥檚 worth to the client.
• Ask smart questions.
• Help the client understand how you think, communicate and work.

Heart of Business Inc. offers these insights in its post 鈥�.鈥�

• Clients want to know what you can do for them, not what you do
• Learn about all the context and problems around the client鈥檚 struggle
• Let the client tell you a/their story
• Listen and be 鈥減resent.鈥�

So, armed with this information, how could conversations with clients change? One might go something like this:

Consultant: Hi, Bob. It鈥檚 Joe.

Client: Hey, Joe. Sorry I haven鈥檛 gotten back to you. It鈥檚 been crazy here.

Consultant: I figured. That鈥檚 actually why I鈥檓 calling.

Client: Oh, Joe, sorry, but we just don鈥檛 have any projects coming out in the near future鈥�

Consultant: That鈥檚 not what I mean. I want to have a different conversation with you. Can we talk?

Client: Uh, OK鈥�

Consultant: I know that you and your team are busy. I want to offer you some relief.

Client: I don鈥檛 understand.

Consultant: Let鈥檚 you and I get together, and you can tell me about whatever you want 鈥� something you鈥檙e working on, something you鈥檙e planning, something you are struggling with 鈥� whatever. And I鈥檒l listen and see if we can puzzle through a solution together. If I can鈥檛 help you directly with a project, the least I can do is help you with your workload and issues. It鈥檚 totally confidential, and the coffee is on me.

Client: I don鈥檛 know, Joe鈥�

Consultant: Bob, you鈥檙e one of my favorite clients/people. Every time I call, you tell me you鈥檙e 鈥渃razy busy.鈥� You can鈥檛 sustain that. Let me help. Please.

I have one more approach that comes from Greg Bell, author of Water the Bamboo and keynote speaker at the SMPS national Build Business Conference in July. Ask the client 鈥淲hat is going well?鈥� As Greg puts it, this is a game-changing question. I tried it at a department lunch recently. It was the best conversation the group has had in 12 months.

The main conclusion I draw from all of this is that clients want one thing: someone to focus on them. That鈥檚 an ocean away from 鈥淒o you have any work?鈥� It might even catch the best fish.

Katherine Robinette is the senior marketer for the water business unit at David Evans and Associates Inc. She is a member of SMPS Oregon. Contact her at [email protected].