It can be tough to understand a prospective client's needs. There’s what a client wants. Then there’s what a client needs. Basically, whatever makes them happy and sets them free. And if you play your cards right as an ID freelie, they’ll be thanking you for knowing exactly what those needs are.

We know what you’re thinking and the answer is YES—our opening paragraph was mostly Christina Aguilera lyrics. Boy, does that song work in so many different scenarios! But seriously, learning to understand a client’s needs is one of the most important skills you can develop as an eLearning professional.

Some clients have a solid idea of what they want or expect before they even meet with you. Sometimes they’re overwhelmed and don’t know what the heck they’re doing or what they want, and they’re begging you to help them figure it out. And sometimes what they think they want is actually not what they actually need to solve their problem.

Long story short, clients need people like us.

That’s why we’ve created a list of five steps you can take to better understand your client’s needs. It’s up to us to take them from the darkness and into the bright, vibrant, mystical light.

Let’s jump into the list!

1. Research Your Client

This one may have you saying, “no duh,” but it’s a super important first step to understanding your client’s needs as thoroughly as possible. The easiest first step to researching your client is to follow their company page on LinkedIn. You’ll also want to connect with whoever your main contact is at said company. Read, don’t skim, their profile carefully, familiarizing yourself with the company’s core mission and goals. Does your contact point belong to any specific groups on LinkedIn? Join them! Sure, it may feel like stalking, but it’s all good because…business!

Another great place to do some stalking—we mean research—is on the official company website of your prospective client. Again, this seems like a no-brainer, but be sure to review your client’s website. Chances are you can find some data and statistics through their menu or by using the search bar within their site. Take a good look at any press releases they may have out there. These usually contain important business decisions along with long-term goals. But make sure what you’re reading isn’t from ten years ago!

You may also want to check out the website Glassdoor for legit reviews about thousands of employers written by real people. You’ll find current and former employees’ comments which usually include pros and cons about working for that company. Juicy! Why does this help you? No, it’s not about refusing contracts from companies that seem “difficult.” Not at all!

Glassdoor is great in that you might read about some internal challenges that the company faces. Believe it or not, these could give you insight and ideas for your training project!

2. Become an Active Listener

The single best skill you can develop as a freelance ID is the ability to listen closely. Bonus points if you can translate what you hear into actionable plans! This takes practice, but you’ll get there. Why? Because you’re awesome.

When we talk about “active” listening skills, we mean the process of preparing yourself to listen, actively hearing the other person, asking questions for clarity, and really absorbing the key points they’ve made. You want to leave the conversation with nothing unsaid, misheard, or misunderstood. We’re talking about a totally mutual exchange of information between speaker and listener—bliss!

As you’re engaging in active listening, try to give your client cues that you’re understanding what they’re saying, either non-verbally (hit ‘em with some nods) or by asking pointed or open-ended questions at their conclusion. You may also try summarizing their own words back to them to be sure you’ve got all the info down pat.

As we mentioned earlier, your client's needs may be hidden behind what they want. This is where your active listening skills will come in handy to define and separate the two!

3. Ask Questions

You’ll need to ask your client a wide variety of questions to get all of the information you need to figure out the scope of the project. Having a clear understanding of the scope will help you estimate what kind of time and resources will be required on both sides. This info will come in handy when you’re trying to give them a proposed solution or cost estimate. Of course, it will also be super helpful if you’re actually hired to do the job, too!

Ask your client questions like:

- “Do you already have your mind made up about what the course should be like?”

- “Are you in a time crunch to get something done by a fast-approaching deadline?”

- “Do you have a good sense of the overall learning objectives or goals?”

4. Measure Progress

Now it’s time to think about how you would translate your client's needs into actionable plans. If we know you, you’ve probably gotten some ideas or come to some conclusions while listening. But first, there’s still more to find out.

Keep those in the back of your mind as you move on to the next phase of your fact-finding mission: What does progress look like? What are your clients trying to accomplish, ultimately? What results do they want to see and how can they be measured?

Usually, when it comes to measurable results, you’re looking at increases or decreases in…stuff. The “stuff” part will vary depending on your client but we have some examples for ya! Things your client wants to increase could include revenue, efficiency, number of clients, or customer satisfaction score. Then there’s the stuff they may want to decrease, which could include time to deliver products, money lost due to employee mistakes, or overhead costs.

Keep in mind these aren’t the only things that can “go up and down” – just a small sampling. You’ll want to talk to your client to find out what numbers are important to them and how they measure success.

5. Keep in Communication

Your prospective client will respect regular, open lines of communication. Keep them updated on your progress as often as you can, whether you’re in total symbiosis or are feeling a tad bit confused about their needs or goals. If something has gone wrong, (which is totally ok), the sooner you can communicate that to them the better. You want your client to be on your side for the length of this project and maybe even future ones and honesty will engender that.

Try your best to be flexible— to move with the ebbs and flows of your client’s needs. Honesty is important but so is your ability to come up with solutions that work for both of you! It’s ok if things aren’t going exactly as planned, as long as they’re still going.

Lastly, ask for constructive feedback at different project checkpoints along the way. Here’s the thing about feedback— you need to be genuinely open to receiving it. Self-assessment will help you better understand and support your client's needs.

Try to put yourself in their shoes to really work out the kinks and resolve any issues they may be having with your work or process. It’s all about walkin’ a virtual mile in their fancy business shoes!

Conclusion

The more you can get your head wrapped around a prospective client’s business needs, resource needs, and technology needs, the better a service you can offer.

We hope this list has given you a good springboard to begin your exploratory journey into your client’s needs…and soul?

It can take some time and practice to fully develop this skill, so be patient with yourself, your client, and the process. You will get there!

We believe in you. And so does Christina Aguilera.