FNS #4: The Client's internal game

An entrepreneur's journey comes with many challenges, and recently I spotted something that I thought was worth writing about.

Today's article is about understanding and helping with the prospect's internal game in order to move a deal forward. I'm writing this while waiting for approval on my next website development project, so the topic is very much on my mind.

We often hear the terms internal game and external game. Let's briefly summarize them.

The internal game is the psychological side of things: the characteristics, beliefs, assumptions, experiences, and thoughts that shape how we see ourselves and the world around us.

The external game is everything we do to move our business forward: sales, marketing, operations, procurement, risk management, accounting, finance, and so on.

But I don't want us to look at this only from our side as solo founders, entrepreneurs, and service providers.

What if we take a step back and ask:

What is my client's internal game?

How can I understand their concerns, assumptions, experiences, and thoughts?

What is happening beneath the surface that might be preventing us from doing business together?

And more importantly, how can I help clear those things so that we can create a successful outcome for both of us?

We spend a lot of time building skills, systems, and services that solve problems for our clients.

We listen to their pain points. We diagnose the reasons behind declining sales, operational inefficiencies, unnecessary costs, disconnected systems, or whatever else is holding the business back.

Then we try to provide a solution that fits their specific situation.

Once we have that offer prepared, clear, and direct, sometimes we still don't get the project.

The offer could be good.

The price could fit their budget.

The problem could be significant.

And the solution could genuinely help.

So why doesn't the deal happen?

Sometimes, the problem isn't the offer at all.

It could be a previous experience with another service provider that caused them to lose money, miss opportunities, or even damage their reputation.

It could be an internal assumption about our industry.

It could be a generalization based on something that happened to them before.

It could be fear of making the wrong decision.

It could be uncertainty about whether the solution will actually work.

Or it could be one of many other things that we simply haven't discovered yet.

And this is where I think our role as service providers becomes more interesting.

In my case, that means software development and business solutions.

The educator in every one of us has to step in.

We should answer the questions our clients have to the best of our ability. We should clarify the problems we've identified in their business. We should reassure them where reassurance is needed.

But this isn't done by simply talking.

It's done by demonstrating knowledge of the area we're working in, demonstrating our capabilities, offering the right level of support, and involving the client in the process from the earliest stage of the relationship.

This is also where clear goal setting becomes extremely important.

I've written about "define done" before, and I think it applies here as well.

Instead of saying:

We should be thinking in terms of business outcomes.

For example:

And if the numbers support it, we might even define the expected business outcome:

Now we have something tangible to discuss.

Yes, I deliberately called it an investment, not an expense.

The point isn't to make every website sound like a guaranteed money-making machine. We can't guarantee outcomes we don't control.

The point is to define what success means and establish a way to assess whether the project is worth pursuing.

Then comes the roadmap.

Take the client's input. Document what you've learned from the conversations. Create drafts and demos. Refine the proposed solution. Explain what is changing and why. Then, finally, agree on the terms.

Make the journey visible.

Some clients are already well educated about what they need. They want a fast, clear proposal and are ready to move.

Others might be a great fit for our services, but they need more guidance before they feel comfortable making a decision.

That's part of our role as builders, developers, service providers, and entrepreneurs.

We don't just build the thing.

We help the client understand why it should be built, what it should accomplish, how we are going to get there, and what their role is throughout the process.

There is, however, an important balance here.

We shouldn't fall into the trap of providing unlimited education and consulting before an agreement is reached.

Time, effort, experience, and expertise have value.

Don't treat yours as if they don't.

The goal is to diagnose the client well enough to understand the real problem, build an appropriate project scope, and create a roadmap from the earliest step in the journey to the final outcome.

Draw it. Write it down. Make the journey clear.

Then communicate it transparently.

Because sometimes, the thing standing between you and a great client isn't your offer, your price, or even the problem you're solving.

Sometimes, it's everything happening inside the client's head before they are ready to say:

"Let's do it."

And perhaps part of our job is helping them get there, without pushing them, misleading them, or giving away everything for free.

That's what I mean by the client's internal game.

And understanding it might be just as important as understanding the problem we're being hired to solve.