Constant Clarification: The Simple Secret To Never Disappointing Clients

There is one common practice you should embrace to ensure you hit the target with client deliverables every time. If you constantly clarify the outcome, you're never going to disappoint a client.

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The Only Time A Client Has Terminated A Contract

I remember a situation a few years ago when I agreed to deliver a ‘strategy’ to a non-profit client as part of a bigger RFP project.

We signed the contract and got started on the project.

It quickly became clear we had very different interpretations of what a strategy meant.

My interpretation was a set of documents covering:

• A review of the current situation.

• Goals and a roadmap.

• An action plan.

• Operations and governance structures.

• A measurement framework

Their interpretation of a strategy was an immaculately designed, high-level, presentation to be delivered to the funders of the project to justify what they planned to do.

While I was trying to get into the weeds, put together resourcing requirements, and analyse risk factors, they were giving me feedback on the font and layout of the draft slides. Needless to say, it wasn’t a pleasant experience for either of us.

It’s the only time in 14 years I can recall a client terminating a contract.

The ‘No Surprises’ Principle

The simple rule here is nothing you submit in the final deliverable should be a surprise. It should simply be the outcome of the discussions you’ve facilitated and the work you’ve already shared and clarified along the way.

When you begin a project, it’s best to imagine yourself as trying to hit the target of client expectations in a cloud of mist where the contours are only just beginning to take shape. As you progress and continue to share and get feedback on your work from the client, the mist clears and the target becomes increasingly visible.

The worst thing you can do on a project is to vanish, create the work in absentia, and then drop the final deliverable to the client on the due date without much time for iterations of feedback. The odds of you hitting the target in that situation are slim to none.

The ‘Constant Clarification’ Rule

Constant clarification is the golden rule.

With the best of intentions and communication, it’s easy for two people to ascribe different meanings to the same word based on their past experiences.

The interpretation of terms like strategy, measurement framework, roadmap, and analysis can conjure up different images in different minds many different things. This creates a problem. One party might think they’re creating a summarised 10-slide presentation while the other is expecting a comprehensive 70-page document.

In almost any situation there is always potentially a huge gulf in understanding. There’s only so much explanation you can provide before getting started. The solution then is to clarify throughout the project constantly. This requires a very specific approach.

Don’t Ask ‘What Do You Want?’

One obvious way to tackle this problem is to ask the client to define the deliverable they’re expecting.

The problem with this question is it can seem like you’re not sure what you should deliver. They might be thinking ‘shouldn’t you know what this looks like?’.

Haven’t you been hired for your expertise after all?

A far better approach is to begin with an outline and then constantly gather feedback.

What To Clarify During The Sales / Project Initiation Process

In the sales process (or at the very least at the beginning of the project) you should get aligned on the template and structure you will use.

Where possible here, I’d suggest sharing a template that people can visualise and check that’s what they would like to see.

If you don’t have a past template, then visually describe what you plan to create. Be clear about whether it’s a presentation or a document. Give a rough estimate of the length and what sections/areas it will cover. Then ask them if that aligns with what they need.

Once you have this feedback, use it to create the template and outline and check again that that’s what they need and are expecting.

What To Clarify On A Weekly Basis

Each week, highlight the sections you’re tackling and what will go in each section and check that aligns with what the client is expecting.

As you drop each content item in, you can check it aligns with what the client had hoped for. Gather feedback as you go. You can check if anything is missing or whether they need any additional information.

It’s a lot easier to make small course corrections as you go than plot a new journey from the beginning.