How do you deal with an unresponsive consulting client?
As a consultant, few challenges are as frustrating as a client who doesn’t respond.
You’ve invested your time, expertise, and effort into working with them.
And their lack of responsiveness threatens to derail your progress and jeopardize the success of the engagement.
In this article, I’ll help you…
- understand why this happens;
- prevent it from happening;
- And if it does happen, give you strategies and scripts to turn an unresponsive client into a responsive client.
The key to preventing unresponsiveness is setting clear expectations from the beginning.
Ready? Let’s dive in…
What Causes An Unresponsive Consulting Client?
What causes a client to be unresponsive? There are a few common scenarios that cause this.
They might be dealing with shifting priorities or organizational changes, leaving your project a lower priority. For example, you might be working with a small business owner who recently acquired a new company, forcing them to redirect their attention to the integration process.
In other cases, budget constraints or financial issues can force clients to deprioritize your service. A retail consulting client, for example, might have experienced a significant dip in sales during the summer, prompting them to tighten their budget until their finances stabilize.
Sometimes, the issue is as simple as poor communication or a lack of engagement on their part. This could stem from many reasons, such as a client’s overwhelming workload or personal distractions.
In some instances, unrealistic expectations or misalignment of goals can lead to disengagement. For example, you might be working with a startup founder who expected immediate results from your marketing strategy, and your approach requires more time to gain traction.
Lastly, personal or professional conflicts within the client’s team can contribute to unresponsiveness. Internal dynamics can affect their ability to collaborate effectively with external consultants.
In most cases, these situations can be prevented entirely. In the next section, we’ll focus on proactive strategies to avoid the problem from happening in the first place.
Proactive Ways To Avoid Unresponsiveness
The key to preventing unresponsiveness is setting clear expectations from the beginning.
Before kicking off a project, have an open discussion with your client about…
- responsibilities (who is responsible for what),
- progress tracking,
- roadmaps & timelines,
- and the frequency of touchpoints and communications.
For instance, you might say to a new consulting client…
“I understand that your team is juggling multiple priorities. To ensure our project stays on track, I suggest we schedule bi-weekly check-in meetings where we can discuss progress, address any concerns, and align on the next steps. Would that work for you?”
Establish multiple communication channels, such as email, phone, and video calls, to increase the chances of reaching your client. Email is often sufficient, but sometimes you’ll need their phone number to solve issues immediately.
Before the project begins, identify key decision-makers and stakeholders. Ensure they’re looped in on all crucial updates and decisions.
With a software consulting client, for example, you might need to keep both the CTO and the CISO informed about your findings and recommendations.
If you set clear expectations from the beginning — and stick to them — chances are you won’t have to deal with an unresponsive consulting client.
But what happens if you didn’t set clear expectations from the beginning? Or you did, and your client is still unresponsive?
I’ll share more best practices and strategies in the next few sections.
Building Rapport and Trust With Your Client
Trust is the foundation of any successful client relationship, and it’s especially crucial when dealing with an unresponsive client.
That’s why it’s important to continually demonstrate your expertise and the value you bring to the table. For example, if you’re a financial consultant working with a small business owner, share case studies or success stories that highlight your ability to streamline their operations and improve profitability.
Show genuine interest in their business and goals, and address any concerns promptly and transparently. If a client expresses doubts about your approach, you might respond, “I understand your concerns. Let me walk you through our strategy and how it aligns with your long-term objectives. I’m confident we can find a solution that works for both of us.”
Offer creative solutions or alternative approaches when faced with roadblocks. For example, if you’re a marketing consultant, your client might struggle to allocate resources for a comprehensive social media campaign. Propose a scaled-down pilot program (like a consulting discovery offer) to demonstrate its impact.
By following these steps, you’ll further decrease the chance of a client going unresponsive. Better yet, by following these best practices, you’ll increase the chance they respond quickly, and with enthusiasm.
But what if you still aren’t getting a response? In the next section, I’ll share a powerful email script for you to use that the overwhelming majority of the time.
What To Do When You Can’t Reach A Consulting Client
If your proactive communication strategies and rapport-building efforts fail to get a response, it may be time to escalate the issue.
This is where “The Magic Email” comes in handy.
Created by Blair Enns, “The Magic Email” is a firm email you send to get a response from your unresponsive client.
Here it is:
Subject: Closing The Loop
Hi [FirstName];
I haven’t heard back from you on [project/opportunity] so I’m going to assume you’ve gone in a different direction or your priorities have changed.
Let me know if we can be of assistance in the future.
Regards,
[You]
People who use this email report that it’s never failed to get a response.
Why does it work?
Because you are being firm, direct, and show your willingness to walk away. This triggers the client to want to stop that from happening.
Once they respond, set up a meeting where you’ll solve the unresponsiveness problem for good.
Learning from your experience is key to preventing future unresponsiveness.
Determine the appropriate escalation path within the client’s organization and schedule a face-to-face meeting or video conference to address the unresponsiveness directly.
During this meeting, present a clear action plan and timeline for moving forward.
For example, if you’re working with a manufacturing consulting client on a lean process improvement project, you might propose a revised timeline that prioritizes the most critical production lines, allowing you to demonstrate tangible results and regain momentum.
Be prepared to renegotiate the scope or terms of the engagement if necessary.
You might say to a healthcare consulting client, “I understand that our original timeline may no longer be feasible given the current circumstances. Let’s revisit the scope and prioritize the most critical deliverables to ensure we can still achieve your core objectives of improving patient outcomes and reducing operational costs.”
In the unfortunate event that all attempts to resolve the issue fail, be prepared to terminate the engagement professionally and amicably. Draft a formal letter or email outlining the circumstances that led to your decision, and express gratitude for the opportunity to work together.
Systems For Preventing Future Unresponsiveness
Learning from your experience is key to preventing future unresponsiveness.
Here are 4 ways to alter and improve your systems to prevent communication issues with clients.
- Conduct a post-engagement review and gather feedback from the client, both positive and negative. Use this information to refine your client onboarding and communication processes, ensuring clear expectations are set from the start.
- Implement project management tools and collaboration platforms to streamline communication and increase transparency. If you’re working with a remote team of developers, for example, a tool like Asana can help keep everyone aligned and accountable.
- Establish clear consequences for unresponsiveness in your contracts, such as delayed payments or project pauses. This sets the tone for a professional relationship built on mutual respect and accountability.
- Continuously invest in client education and relationship-building. The more you can understand your clients’ businesses and challenges, the better equipped you’ll be to anticipate and address potential communication breakdowns.
Get Help Mastering The Art Of Client Relationships
Understand that unresponsiveness is a common challenge in the consulting world. It’s rarely a personal slight against you or your abilities.
By following these strategies and best practices, you’ll be equipped to solve the challenges posed by unresponsive consulting clients with confidence and poise.
Remember to seek support from your professional network or a mentor when facing particularly challenging situations. They will offer valuable insights — or simply lend a sympathetic ear.
Joining a coaching program, consulting community, or attending industry events can connect you with like-minded individuals who understand the unique challenges of entrepreneurial consulting.
In our Clarity Coaching program, we’ve helped over 1000 consultants to build a more strategic, profitable, and scalable, consulting business.
And dealing with tricky situations is one of the key skills to master if you want to build up your consulting business.
Learn More About Clarity Coaching
We’ll work hands-on with you to develop a strategic plan and then dive deep and work through your ideal client clarity, strategic messaging, consulting offers, fees and pricing, business model optimization, and help you to set up your marketing engine and lead generation system to consistently attract ideal clients.
You’ll learn how to generate more profit with every project you take on — and how to land more clients than ever before. Learn more about Clarity Coaching and get in touch to talk about your situation and goals.