Understanding Client Motivations: Key to Making a Significant Impact

Kelly Maheu Author

The Importance of Listening and Understanding Client Motivations

As a professional service provider, understanding client motivations is crucial in making a significant impact on their lives. In a discussion between Kendall Rawls, the Director of Development at The Rawls Group, and Joe Girard, a consultant with Change, Grow, Achieve, they emphasized the importance of understanding client motivations and how they can influence business owners. They talked about the Succession Matrix®, a core approach to succession planning, and how it can be used to create great questions and pinpoint business owners' needs better.

Many professional service providers work on complex projects that require building trust and long-term relationships. However, to create that trust and solve complex problems on a bigger level, it is essential to get a sense of the motivations and desires behind the issue the client has presented. It is not enough to solve the immediate problem. Listening is a crucial part of providing a solution, and by understanding what exactly is driving a client, a business advisor can ask the right questions to get to the root of the problem. 

SNAP Session with Kendall Rawls and Joe Girard discussing motivations from a sales perspective

In this SNAP Session (Succession News and Applied Practice), we discuss the ten common human motivations, how to build trust, and ultimately how to explore complex challenges that lead to increased opportunities with your clients. 

The Challenges of Understanding Client Motivations

One of the challenges that many professional services providers face when it comes to pinpointing client motivations is knowing what questions to ask and how to create need and value. It is common for advisor to ask a few questions and then try to solve the problem without fully comprehending the client's underlying motivations. Professional service providers must delve deeper and grasp what the client is trying to achieve, what drives them, and what their value system is.

The Benefits of Understanding Client Motivations

Identifying client motivations requires connecting with their value system and why they are looking for help. Professional service providers who can connect with their clients’ values and motivations can tailor their approach to meet their specific needs and provide long-term solutions that go beyond solving immediate problems. By understanding client motivations, business advisors can position themselves to make a significant impact on their client's lives and businesses.

Making a Significant Impact

Understanding client motivations is essential for any professional service provider looking to make a significant impact on their client's lives. It requires connecting with the client's value system and understanding the motivations behind their requests. Business advisors who can connect at the value level can build trust and provide long-term solutions that go beyond solving immediate problems. By recognizing client motivations, business advisors can position themselves to make a significant impact on their client's lives and businesses.

Categories: : SNAP Session