This post was originally published on this site
This article is based on a conversation between Brad Bialy and Kim Henderson on the Take the Stage podcast, presented by Haley Marketing.
In staffing, a successful client meeting isn’t just about walking out with a job order. It’s about uncovering your client’s deeper needs, positioning yourself as a partner, and using each conversation to create new opportunities. Far too often, staffing professionals leave potential business on the table because they don’t ask the right questions or fail to push the conversation beyond the immediate need.
Kim Henderson, Managing Director of Cobalt Compass Solutions, joined Brad Bialy in a recent episode of Take the Stage to share powerful insights on this topic. She explained how staffing firms can transform their client meetings by shifting focus from short-term goals to long-term, strategic discussions.
Ask Questions That Lead to Self-Discovery
Many staffing professionals make the mistake of assuming they already know the client’s pain points. Or worse, they jump straight into selling without fully understanding the client’s broader business challenges. As Kim put it, “Oftentimes, the more experienced we are, the quicker we are to jump to conclusions. But we need to ask questions that dig for the challenges and understand what impact those challenges are having on the customer.”
By framing questions around the broader business context—like upcoming changes, strategic shifts, or long-term goals—you allow the client to come to their own conclusions. This process of self-discovery is more powerful than simply telling them what’s wrong. When clients articulate their own pain points, they’re more likely to recognize the need for change and see your solutions as the answer.
Example Questions to Ask:
- “What are some of the biggest challenges you’re facing this year?”
- “What changes are you planning for the next 6 to 12 months that could impact your hiring needs?”
- “What skill sets are difficult for your team to find right now?”
These types of questions uncover opportunities that go beyond the immediate need and open the door for more strategic conversations.
An Offer Exclusive to Listeners of Take the Stage:
30 minutes of strategic marketing consultation with host Brad Bialy to help you drive more job orders and applications. Just visit https://bit.ly/stageoffer and pick a time that works best for you.
Frame the Total Opportunity
Knowing your value in the context of the larger organization is critical. Too often, staffing firms are satisfied with making a few placements in a single department without understanding the bigger picture. Kim Henderson emphasizes the importance of asking key questions to gauge your real share of the client’s staffing spend.
“We compare ourselves to ourselves. We think we’re doing a great job because we placed 13 people a year in company X. Then we find out that the top supplier is making 80 placements annually.”
To accurately frame the total opportunity, staffing professionals need to ask questions like:
- “What is your total annual staffing spend for contract and perm hires?”
- “How many contractors are in the organization right now?”
- “How many do you need across departments?”
Having this information allows you to identify gaps and present a clear path to expanding your footprint within the organization.
Set Clear Next Steps
A common pitfall in client meetings is the failure to establish a clear follow-up plan. Kim pointed out that many staffing professionals end meetings without a defined course of action, making it difficult to re-engage clients later. “We need to have better closing skills. And by ‘closing,’ I mean setting clear expectations for what happens next.”
At the end of every client meeting, outline the immediate next steps for both parties. Whether it’s scheduling a follow-up meeting in three months or delivering market data by a certain date, make sure there’s a tangible action that keeps the relationship moving forward.
Example Close: “Based on today’s discussion, I’ll send over a report on salary trends in your industry. Let’s schedule another meeting in three months to discuss the results and how we can support your upcoming projects.”
By documenting these next steps, you avoid the “let’s touch base later” trap and ensure that every meeting has a purpose.
Understand the Competitive Landscape
Another key element to consider is understanding how you stack up against the competition. Instead of assuming that your client is satisfied, ask specific questions to uncover where you stand. As Kim Henderson shared, “We often think we’re doing great, only to find out we’re underrepresented compared to competitors. We need to ask questions like: Who’s your top supplier? Why? And what do we need to do to become that?”
These candid conversations may not always yield the most pleasant answers, but they are essential for continuous improvement and for making strategic adjustments to your service delivery.
Look Beyond the Job Order
Finally, don’t let the pursuit of a job order limit the conversation. While job orders are necessary to keep the doors open, they shouldn’t be the only focus. Instead, explore other ways to add value to your client’s business.
“We need to look beyond the job order to be able to get client share in the account… and that starts by asking the right questions and showing we can solve bigger problems.”
Consider offering industry insights, participating in strategic planning discussions, or even referring the client to another provider if you can’t meet a specific need. These actions build trust and position your firm as a true partner rather than a transactional vendor.
Transforming Client Meetings into Opportunities
The most successful staffing firms are those that can turn routine client meetings into strategic discussions that uncover new opportunities. By asking better questions, understanding your client’s total staffing spend, and setting clear follow-up actions, you can turn each interaction into a stepping stone toward deeper engagement.
Kim Henderon’s advice is clear: Don’t just aim for a job order—aim to understand your client’s business and position yourself as a strategic partner. If you can master this approach, you’ll not only grow your business but also become an indispensable resource for your clients.
About Take the Stage
On Take the Stage, presented by Haley Marketing, we bring you the BEST speakers, coaches, trainers, and strategic partners from across the staffing and recruiting industry every other week. More than your standard interview, each conversation is built off of a specific session or topic these industry thought leaders bring to conferences and audiences around the country. Learn from industry experts like Tom Erb, Tricia Tamkin, John Ruffini, and many more by subscribing to “Secrets of Staffing Success” on your preferred podcast player.
The post How to Turn a Client Meeting into an Opportunity for Growth appeared first on Haley Marketing Group.
