Three principles for building successful client relationships - A letter to the professional people-pleasers

Hi Coach,

I love it when I get asked a question that I haven't put clear words down for.

Jennifer emailed me last week and asked me: What do you think are the three most important things about a successful client relationship?

I accepted the challenge and penned my answer.

I thought I'd share it with you too.

Principle one: Set the conditions for success

The foundation of a successful client relationship lies in setting the client up for success from the very beginning.

Because of your extensive experience, you know exactly what’s needed to create a strong, effective partnership—something the client likely hasn’t mastered or succeeded with on their own.

You take your expertise and apply it at the start of the relationship by clearly defining expectations, communication methods, and accountability.

You outline how you'll work together, identify potential challenges, and proactively address those risks before they arise.

By doing this, you create an environment that fosters clarity, trust, and progress right from the outset.

Principle two: Stay ahead of the client

The key to a thriving client relationship is always being many steps ahead of the client.

This means you anticipate their needs, challenges, and next steps so they can feel confident they’re in capable hands.

When clients trust that you know exactly what to do, how to do it, and in what order, they’re more likely to fully engage in the process without pushback or hesitation.

Your proactive approach ensures clients avoid common mistakes and achieve better results faster than they would on their own.

You understand what’s happening now, what’s coming next, and what could happen down the line if certain choices are made.

By predicting outcomes and staying ahead, you deliver clear direction and maintain a level of trust and confidence that is critical to success.

Principle three: Establish a peer-level relationship

A successful client relationship is built on the foundation of mutual respect and a peer-level dynamic.

Regardless of the client’s status or the account manager’s position, the relationship must feel equal.

This dynamic is critical because how you show up shapes the entire relationship.

If you approach the client as a supplicant—appearing subservient or hesitant—you risk becoming an order-taker rather than a strategic partner.

This undermines your ability to have tough conversations, provide critical feedback, or push back when necessary.

Clients hire you to deliver better results faster, and they expect you to lead the process with confidence and expertise.

By turning up as a peer, you position yourself as an equal who provides valuable guidance and direction.

This empowers the client to trust your leadership, take your advice, and follow your roadmap.

When you lean into the relationship with authority and clarity, clients feel secure, knowing they’re in capable hands.

This dynamic ensures the best results by fostering trust, collaboration, and a clear sense of professional expertise.

Final thoughts

If I had to only pick three, these are what set the foundation and ultimately the future success of a strong client relationship.

What's important here is that if you don't get it right from the beginning, it can dramatically affect the pace and the results of your work together.

And that's why I love this question - we're talking about using your experience to get ahead of problems before they become problems (thinking upstream) and ultimately putting yourself in a position to be indispensable to your clients.

🗣️ 👀

Chris.

PS. Are you a professional people-pleaser? Take our 20-question assessment and break from people-pleasing today.