The 5 Best Ways to Conduct Client Meetings Today

It’s likely that everyone in your firm is working remotely by now — many for the first time. It  also may be the first time you are meeting with some clients virtually.

How do we adapt our service model to this new reality and also incorporate new ways of engaging with each other?

The good news is there’s a lot of “client grace” floating around right now. This makes it a great time to “test” new methods of conducting meetings with clients.

The goal is to try new things without fear; don’t worry if it doesn’t feel “right” just yet. Here’s how to think about it:

1. Recognize the Cultural Shift

The first step is to recognize and understand the cultural shift that is occurring.

While this won’t last forever, certain aspects will stick and the way we conduct business from here on out will change.

Instruct your team to take note of every aspect of what is and is not working and write down the operational processes that are working.

We can fix some aspects now, but others will need to wait. That’s OK.

2. Prep for Meetings

The fluidity of what’s happening means you need to be up to date with everything. Instead of “preparing” for traditional client meetings, you will need to conduct “client-directed” meetings.

In these virtual meetings, you will asks clients “what they need” instead of telling them “what they need.”

Clients are looking to relieve short-term concerns about their respective situations and work with you to make some adjustments to their plans and/or investment strategies.

The goal is to figure out where each client’s pain point is and then relieve the pain. Unless you’re using outdated applications, you should be able to update anything necessary right on your screen — while a client is watching remotely.

3. Work Independently

Your clients have unique questions and concerns. But there are two questions every single client has in the back of their mind: Is my family OK? Where is our money?