Questions to Ask a New Client
Essential questions to ask new clients to understand their needs, establish expectations, and build a strong foundation for a successful working relationship.
1What are your main goals and objectives for this project?
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What are your main goals and objectives for this project?
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Why this works
Establishes the client's primary objectives and helps you understand what they want to achieve through your collaboration.
2What is your timeline and when do you need this completed?
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What is your timeline and when do you need this completed?
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Why this works
Clarifies the project timeline and helps you understand their urgency and deadline expectations.
3What is your budget range for this project?
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What is your budget range for this project?
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Why this works
Reveals their financial constraints and helps you understand what resources are available for the project.
4Who are the key stakeholders and decision-makers involved?
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Who are the key stakeholders and decision-makers involved?
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Why this works
Shows the project structure and helps you understand who you'll be working with and who has final approval authority.
5What challenges or obstacles are you currently facing?
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What challenges or obstacles are you currently facing?
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Why this works
Reveals their pain points and helps you understand what problems they need solved or what issues they're trying to address.
6What has worked well for you in the past with similar projects?
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What has worked well for you in the past with similar projects?
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Why this works
Shows their preferences and helps you understand what approaches and strategies have been successful for them.
7What hasn't worked well in previous attempts?
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What hasn't worked well in previous attempts?
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Why this works
Reveals their past challenges and helps you understand what to avoid and what pitfalls to watch out for.
8What are your expectations for communication and updates?
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What are your expectations for communication and updates?
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Why this works
Clarifies their communication preferences and helps you understand how often and in what format they want updates.
9What are your success criteria and how will you measure results?
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What are your success criteria and how will you measure results?
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Why this works
Shows their definition of success and helps you understand how they'll evaluate the project's effectiveness.
10What resources and support can you provide for this project?
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What resources and support can you provide for this project?
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Why this works
Reveals their available resources and helps you understand what assistance and materials they can provide.
11What are your concerns or worries about this project?
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What are your concerns or worries about this project?
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Why this works
Shows their potential concerns and helps you understand what might be keeping them up at night about this project.
12What would make this project a complete success for you?
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What would make this project a complete success for you?
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Why this works
Reveals their vision of success and helps you understand what outcomes would exceed their expectations.
13What are your preferences for project management and workflow?
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What are your preferences for project management and workflow?
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Why this works
Shows their working style and helps you understand how they prefer to manage projects and collaborate.
14What are your expectations for deliverables and final outputs?
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What are your expectations for deliverables and final outputs?
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Why this works
Clarifies what they expect to receive and helps you understand the specific deliverables and formats they need.
15What are your thoughts on risk management and contingency planning?
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What are your thoughts on risk management and contingency planning?
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Why this works
Shows their risk tolerance and helps you understand how they handle potential challenges and setbacks.
16What are your long-term goals beyond this project?
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What are your long-term goals beyond this project?
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Why this works
Reveals their broader vision and helps you understand how this project fits into their larger objectives.
17What are your expectations for ongoing support and maintenance?
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What are your expectations for ongoing support and maintenance?
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Why this works
Shows their long-term needs and helps you understand what ongoing support they might require after project completion.
18What are your thoughts on collaboration and team dynamics?
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What are your thoughts on collaboration and team dynamics?
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Why this works
Reveals their collaboration preferences and helps you understand how they like to work with external partners.
19What are your expectations for quality standards and review processes?
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What are your expectations for quality standards and review processes?
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Why this works
Shows their quality expectations and helps you understand their standards and review requirements.
20What questions do you have about my approach and methodology?
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What questions do you have about my approach and methodology?
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Why this works
Shows your interest in their input and helps you gauge their engagement and interest in your working style.
Best Practices for New Client Onboarding
Expert tips and techniques for getting the most out of these questions.
Onboarding Strategies
Understand Their Goals and Objectives
Take time to fully understand what they want to achieve and how they define success for the project.
Establish Clear Expectations
Set clear expectations about timelines, deliverables, communication, and how you'll work together.
Build Trust and Rapport
Focus on building a strong relationship based on trust, communication, and mutual understanding.
Conversation Examples
The Client Onboarding Process
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Don't Make Assumptions
Avoid assuming you understand their needs without asking detailed questions about their goals and expectations.
Don't Rush the Process
Take time to fully understand their needs and establish clear expectations before starting work.
Don't Ignore Their Concerns
Pay attention to their concerns and worries, and address them proactively to build trust and confidence.