Have you ever lost a proposal pitch, and not known why?

How many times has a client made a decision that took you by surprise?

Everyone agrees on the importance of getting to really know your clients – but HOW do you do it, and how do you do it better?

Most people think they know their clients very well – but what would it mean to you if you could know them better?

• What is the one thing you wish you knew about your client, and what would it mean to you if you could find that out?

• What are the tough questions you don’t know how to ask?

We all agree on the importance of knowing your client and their needs

Would you like to know how to do it better?

Clients don’t award their contracts to the cheapest supplier; they award their contracts to the supplier who they feel best understands their challenge, and best demonstrates that they can help them achieve their goals

Ultimately, the supplier who ends up with the most insightful briefing is most likely to win the project. We will show you how to help the client get a deeper understanding of their own brief, so both you and your client share the clearest understanding of their challenge at the point of briefing

This will:

• Make your proposals more relevant

• Increase your win rate

• Focus client on your value, not your price point

As you reach the final stages of a pitch process, we will show you how to defend against aggressive haggling, to maintain your price point and profit margin

We will show you how compromising and concessions at this stage can actively undermine client trust, encouraging clients to push for more

• We will show you how to avoid these costly mistakes!

Hint: the approach begins by getting the deepest understanding of the client’s challenge!

Scope creep is a common issue across most industries, and can destroy the profitability and efficiency of your projects

We will show you how to protect yourself against scope creep, both at the proposal/initial pricing stage, and during the project itself - teaching you and your team how to set expectations, and how to manage difficult conversations as the project unfolds, without damaging your client relationship

Problems and issues with clients will inevitably occur at some stage – it is a fact of life

The reality is that it is usually not the issue itself that undermines a relationship, but the way the issue is handled afterwards

We will show you how to handle bumps in the road, so that you end up with a stronger client relationship at the end of the experience

Anyone can get on well in good times – it is how you handle challenges that demonstrates your worth as a supplier!

Do you have clients who make your life difficult, and you find it hard to say no to?

Unreasonable or demanding clients can be difficult for you and your team, which can damage your morale - perhaps even increasing your staff turnover, and lead you to make unnecessary concessions

We will show you how to effectively manage difficult personality types and confrontation, and how to create a more constructive relationship with your “monster” client

Hint: often, the way people respond to a demanding client actively makes the situation worse. We will help you avoid these costly mistakes