What are the most effective ways to establish common ground with a client?

1 Listen actively

One of the first steps to establish common ground with your clients is to listen actively to their needs, concerns, and preferences. Active listening means paying attention, asking open-ended questions, paraphrasing, summarizing, and giving feedback. It also means avoiding distractions, interruptions, judgments, and assumptions. By listening actively, you can show your clients that you respect and value their input, as well as gain a deeper understanding of their situation, challenges, and goals.

2 Communicate clearly

Another important step to establish common ground with your clients is to communicate clearly and effectively. Communication involves not only verbal messages, but also non-verbal cues, such as tone, body language, and gestures. To communicate clearly, you need to use simple, concise, and relevant language, as well as avoid jargon, acronyms, and ambiguity. You also need to adapt your communication style to suit your clients' preferences, such as their preferred mode, frequency, and level of detail. By communicating clearly, you can ensure that you and your clients are on the same page, as well as avoid confusion, errors, and delays.

5 Seek feedback

A fifth step to establish common ground with your clients is to seek feedback and incorporate it into your work. Feedback means that you ask for your clients' opinions, suggestions, and concerns, as well as listen to their praises, complaints, and questions. It also means that you act on their feedback and make adjustments, improvements, and corrections as needed. By seeking feedback, you can show your clients that you care about their satisfaction, as well as learn from their perspectives, experiences, and expectations.

6 Celebrate success

A sixth and final step to establish common ground with your clients is to celebrate your success and achievements. Success means that you have met or exceeded your clients' expectations and delivered the desired results and outcomes. Achievements mean that you have overcome challenges, solved problems, and created value. To celebrate success and achievements, you need to acknowledge your clients' contributions, appreciate their collaboration, and express your gratitude. You also need to share your accomplishments, lessons learned, and feedback. By celebrating success and achievements, you can strengthen your relationship, loyalty, and reputation.