From the course: Consulting Foundations: Client Management and Relationships

Kicking off a consulting engagement

From the course: Consulting Foundations: Client Management and Relationships

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Kicking off a consulting engagement

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- Needless complexity is an enthusiasm killer. You know, you've been in those meetings. In fact, you may have been the one making the presentation. We're going to do this big HR project, so I've made a binder full of metrics, deliverables, possible challenges, timelines, and blah, blah, blah. One of the most common consulting kickoff's mistakes is trying to make your project seem really complex. You wanna make it seem like your client has made a great decision in hiring you and the default is to make the project seem so complicated and so involved that only you can understand it. Stop, (giggling) you can do better. The kickoff meeting should clearly outline the project's scope in terms everyone can understand and leave everyone feeling excited and confident about the project and about you. To do that, there are four things you should include, in this order. First, what's the win for the client? If you are in a room of key stakeholders, you don't need to spend 90 minutes outlining every tactical piece of your plan. Instead, skip to the results, the value. What's the purpose of this initiative? How is the organization going to be more successful because of it and why should the people in the room care? Second, what are the metrics? This is connected to the win for the client. Try to be as specific here as possible. How will you know your project is successful? Instead of increased sales, you could say something like increase the response rate of initial outreach. Third, what do you need from them. Stakeholders are much more likely to agree to own a certain metric or contribute to a piece of the project when their enthusiasm is high. If you're going to need specific involvement, now is the time to ask. Finally, what can they expect from you? Will you be interviewing their employees for inside info? Will you be following up with each leader individually or will you be conducting an audit of the current solution? Whatever the next step is, let them know. This shows immediate momentum and prompts other people to follow suit. Key stakeholders shouldn't leave the meeting worried that some nagging consultant is going to be filling up their inbox. They should leave that kickoff meeting feeling like they've entered a great partnership with a sharp and resourceful person, you.

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