Before someone has paid you—during that interval when they are interested in maybe paying you, but are still exploring—what you should be talking about is whether you are a mutual fit and how you will go about solving their challenge. Nothing else.

I’m the one writing it, though, because I will slowly die if I can’t write. It’s what makes me me.

The deliverable is a concise, specific set of suggestions about how to improve their situation. If someone wants more than that, they need to hire someone else besides an expert.

Don’t just be an expert in what you deliver to clients, but be an expert in how you talk about what you deliver to clients, too.

Explain to the client that it is their responsibility to capture the notes. Not only will they remember key parts of the discussion better if they capture them on their own, but it transfers the work to them

If you tend to get annoyed at something in particular or regularly dismissive of something else, you have to know that about yourself so that your observations are not skewed.

Second, clients will not pay a premium for ongoing presence, long term. They will only pay a premium for episodic presence.

Point of view: While you can’t promise to always be right, you can obligate yourself to express a helpful point of view. If you don’t have one based on your previous work, you’ll embark on some fresh research to shed light on the client’s challenge.

Essentially they are stuck and confused. They need clarity and direction.