You know how they say that a job interview isn't just the employer interviewing the applicant, but it's also the opportunity for the applicant to ask questions of the employer?
Well it's like that when a client applies to work with you. Not only is the client trying to persuade themselves that you're the right person to do the job for them, but it's an opportunity for you to find out if this is the right client for you.
The good thing is that both sides are looking for answers to the same questions.
All you need to do, during your client interview, is to figure out how you're going to answer the following three questions:
- What outcomes is the client looking for?
- How will we prove that we are making progress towards the client's goals?
- What impact will success have on the client's business?
If you cannot answer those three questions, then this isn't the right client for you. Because you do not know when the client will be satisfied. Because you cannot show the client that progress is being made. Because you cannot put a value on the work you are doing.
But if you can answer those three questions, then you're telling the client three very important things. That you understand not only what they are looking for but why they want the project to happen. That you can prove to the client that things are progressing. That you know what this project is worth.
Because ultimately, the client doesn't care about the deliverables. They don't care about your technical skill. They don't care about Node vs Ruby or React vs Vue. They only care that the project helps them achieve their business outcomes so they can sleep well at night.