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10 Tips for Dynamite Meetings with Your Consulting Clients

Your clients send your consulting firm checks with plenty of digits. In return, you’re likely to conduct at least one meeting during which you present findings, results and/or recommendations.

How do you knock their socks off so they have cold toes they pump your hand enthusiastically, sign up for more of your consulting wizardry and recommend your consulting firm to their friends, neighbors and peers?

Below are ten tips for delivering a dynamite meeting. Actually, there’s only nine tips because I left an open slot for you to fill in.

Ten Tips for Dynamite Meetings with Consulting Clients

 


 

14 Comments
  1. Will Bachman
    June 6, 2018 at 6:45 am Reply

    When presenting to a larger group, a great outcome is if a client you worked closely with presents the material – and put the document in the client’s slide template.

    Let the client take ownership of the recommendations and they are more likely to be implemented.

    • David A. Fields
      June 6, 2018 at 7:12 am Reply

      Fabulous tip, Will. Giving your client a leading role also works well with small groups.

      Your suggestion is particularly effective during kick-off meetings at the start of a project, and in vision meetings when you’re laying the groundwork for a large, follow-on engagement.

      Smart thinking, Mr. Bachman!

  2. Don Garvett
    June 6, 2018 at 7:13 am Reply

    Except in cases where the objective or outcome is confirmation, there should be something that leads to changes in understandings, processes, tools, actions, or something else that is tangible. That should lead to value-adding results – ideally measurable results..

    • David A. Fields
      June 6, 2018 at 7:19 am Reply

      Great point. Clients hire us to create change. They want to walk out of the meeting richer (in knowledge or capability) than they walked in. Thank you for adding that reminder onto the list, Don.

  3. Tony Rodriguez
    June 6, 2018 at 8:44 am Reply

    Great suggestions David. My approach is to walk around the room when presenting and asking questions to specific people on the points am trying to convey. For example, I would say “David how have you dealt with this change?” Or David what kind of preparation do you think is necessary to ensure that you have a successful Kaizen? My approach is to get as much interactive participation to the change I would like the client to consider. This makes it easier getting the buying for change.

    • David A. Fields
      June 6, 2018 at 9:40 am Reply

      Ooooh, I really like that, Tony. I can just imagine wandering the room, calling on individuals, “Tony, what tasty, chocolate morsel did you bring to the meeting?”

      Seriously, that’a a great presentation tip.

  4. David Kohl
    June 6, 2018 at 9:33 am Reply

    I always think about healthy meetings in terms of avoiding the “show up and throw up” problem that occurs so often in consulting. Whether sales or final presentations, etc. I try to focus on this 3-step formula to ensure I don’t:

    1 – I start every presentation with, “before I (we) begin … [ask an insightful question to get your client speaking about what on their minds] ….”

    2- And when I finally do begin presenting, I speak for no more than 2 minutes without taking a break. Try to stop and very explicitly invite comments or questions. For example, “Let me pause for just a second … How are you seeing this concept?” Or even just, “That was a lot of info, where would you like me to dive deeper?”

    3 – I finish up anything I planned to present no more than 1/2 (2/3 if I’ve been able to facilitate a very interactive discussion) of the way through the allotted time. Everyone likes to talk … the extra time ensures the client has ample time to speak, and most importantly, that I have ample time to listen.

    Feel free to use these tips. They’ve done me well in my consulting business and in my new role as CEO of an advertising technology business.

    • David A. Fields
      June 6, 2018 at 9:43 am Reply

      Excellent, 3-part formula, David. Starting with what is on the client’s mind is a Right-Side Up approach, and I highly recommend it. All three of your suggestions make it clear that your presentation is about the client, not about how smart you are. They’re outstanding additions to the list.

      (Also, congratulations on your new CEO role!)

  5. Josh Prigge
    June 6, 2018 at 11:03 am Reply

    I like sending the agenda, objectives and what is expected of everybody in advance of the meeting. Nothing worse that being asked to a meeting and not knowing the purpose or why you are there.

    • David A. Fields
      June 6, 2018 at 11:05 am Reply

      Right on, Josh. Dynamite meetings start with your explicit agreements prior to the meetings. Thanks for highlighting that point, which is important.

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