🎙️ SWYS #16: Why every client relationship fails (and how to stop yours from doing the same)

Hi Coach,

You don’t get into trouble with clients halfway through the project. You get into trouble before the project even starts.

In this episode of Say What You See, I’m lifting the lid on one of the most overlooked stages in client work: the bit between signing the deal and actually starting the work.

It’s in that little sliver of time where most future problems begin. Missed deadlines, unclear roles, scope creep, unspoken doubts—these are all avoidable if you know what conversations to have upfront.

This email (and podcast) is about those conversations. I’m going to walk you through six essential conversations to build stronger, more authoritative client relationships—right from the beginning.

You can watch the episode or listen to it, but if you're a reader, everything you need is right here.

Head over to the website to 🎥 watch or 🎙️ listen to Say What You See episode 16

Let’s dive in.

First, let’s talk about why this matters

Too often we rush to deliver value the moment a new client signs.

We’re eager to start solving. But when we skip ahead, we miss the golden opportunity to set expectations, shape the relationship, and avoid friction later.

Here’s the thing: your clients don’t know what to expect from working with you. Just because they’ve worked with someone similar before doesn’t mean they know what this relationship will feel like.

So let’s stop playing catch-up.

Instead, let’s be the one who takes the lead.

Six conversations that set the conditions for success

Here are the six conversations I walk through on the podcast. Use these as a checklist. If you’re not having these yet, there’s a good chance you’re papering over cracks.

1. The Doubt Conversation

“If at any point you’re unsure, frustrated or doubting something—bring it to me directly. Don’t sit on it. Don’t talk about it behind closed doors. Let’s talk about it together.”

You want a channel for dissent, not silence. This conversation ensures you’re looped in when something feels off—before it becomes a problem.

2. The Time Commitment Conversation

“Everyone’s busy. So where in your calendar, specifically, are you making space for this work?”

Most clients underestimate the time investment required on their side. You’re not just setting a schedule—you’re setting the tone for accountability.

3. The Communication Expectations Conversation

“Here’s how we communicate. Here’s where. Here’s what to expect.”

This is about containment. No WhatsApps, DMs, rogue Asana invites. You’re the professional. Set the platform, the protocol, and the boundaries.

4. The Scope and Boundaries Conversation

“Here’s what’s in. Here’s what’s out. And here’s how we handle new ideas.”

Scope creep doesn’t show up all at once. It slips in quietly through side requests and “quick favours.” Set clear rules for how new work is handled, and challenge ideas that don’t fit the strategy.

5. The Feedback & Candour Conversation

“90% of my job is telling you what’s not working. Are you okay with that?”

This is about preparing your client to hear the truth. Not fluff. Not false praise. Truth. You’re setting the tone for radical candour and real growth.

6. The Define-the-Relationship Conversation (Bonus)

“Have you worked with someone like me before? What did you like about it? What didn’t work?”

This one’s about surfacing unspoken expectations. You’re shaping the relationship by asking what they want it to feel like—and giving yourself permission to show up as the expert they need.

Creating authoritative client relationships

Once you build these conversations into your process, everything shifts.

Clients respect you more. They feel safer. You feel more in control. Expectations are clear. And when things wobble (as they inevitably do), you’ve already created a shared framework to fall back on.

This is what authoritative client relationships look like.

Not reactive. Not firefighting.

Proactive. Clear. Confident.

Over to you

Here’s what I want you to do next:

1. Choose one of the six conversations above and integrate it into your next client onboarding. Pick the one that feels most relevant right now.

2. Grab the full playbook with all 16 conversations + 5 bonus stakeholder prompts so you can build this into your full onboarding process. 16 Conversations Playbook

3. Reply to this email and tell me:

👉 Which of these conversations are you not having right now—but know you should be?

👉 Or share your own go-to onboarding conversation that’s made a big difference.

Every new client is a fresh opportunity to start better than last time.

Now that you know better—you’ve got everything you need to do better too.

Let’s go.

🗣️👀

Chris

PS. Don't forget that you can 🎥 watch or 🎙️ listen to Say What You See episode 16 over on the TAC website.

Say What You See w/ Chris Marr