How else could you support your clients?

We’ve all done it. You pop into a new sandwich shop and try something simple – a cheesy pesto melt, perhaps. It’s good. So, next time, you order the sandwich and a juice. A few visits later, you realise they do light evening meals.

One Thursday, you meet a friend there after work. You like it even more. You tell a colleague. They go. And just like that, the sandwich shop became your go-to for more than just lunch and the shop gained a loyal customer and potentially a second or third one.

Now think about your clients. They may have come to your firm initially for one service—a tax issue, an employment contract, or maybe audit support. Could you be their go-to for more?

Too often, professional firms don’t stop to ask: How else could we help this client?

Getting more from what you already have

Many firms invest considerable effort in acquiring new business. But what about the clients you already have strong relationships with? There’s a real opportunity to support them more, not only with more of the same, where this is possible, but with a wider range of services your firm already provides.

There is a lot of money left on the table in terms of potential work with existing clients. According to Adobe Digital Insights, existing clients spend 31% more than new clients.

Why is it worth investing in developing existing client relationships?

• Clients feel more supported.
  They know they can come to you for a broader range of needs. It is also important to be well networked so you can recommend other professionals outside of your firm.
  
  
• They stay loyal.
  If they’re working with another provider for services you could offer, it’s a missed opportunity and possibly a risk to your existing relationship.
  
  
• It boosts client lifetime value.
  You deepen the relationship and grow your firm’s profitable revenue organically.

So why don’t firms make more of cross-selling?

It’s not usually because of a lack of opportunities.  Many clients can often benefit from other services your firm offers. Instead, it’s often down to a few common barriers:

• Not knowing your clients well enough.
  If conversations are purely transactional, clients won’t open up about their wider challenges and you won’t know how else you can help.
  
  
• Not making the time.
  Client-facing professionals are busy. Without consciously making time to ask deeper questions, opportunities are easily missed.
  
  
• Fear of sounding “salesy.”
  For many, the idea of “selling” feels uncomfortable. However, it’s not about pushing services people don’t need; it’s about helping with challenges clients already have.
  
  
• Lack of knowledge about your own firm.
  If individuals don’t know what colleagues in other departments do, it’s hard to spot a fit for a client.
  
  
• Weak internal relationships.
  If people don’t trust or know colleagues in other service areas, they’re less likely to refer work internally.

What can be done?

There’s no magic fix, but some small shifts can make a big difference:

• Talk about cross-selling.
  Don’t make it taboo. Frame it as client care, not pushing, but exploring how else you can support.
  
  
• Give permission to spend time building deeper client relationships.
  People need to know it’s okay (and expected) to take time for broader conversations.
  
  
• Help people feel comfortable.
  Some simple training on how to talk about other services can make a world of difference. No scripts, just a natural, client-focused approach.
  
  
• Promote internal knowledge sharing.
  People can’t refer to work they don’t understand. Encourage regular knowledge exchanges between teams.
  
  
• Invest in internal relationships.
  Whether it’s cross-team strategic planning, shadowing, or simply social time, trust makes it easier to collaborate to help clients.

Supporting, not selling

So next time you speak to a client, think beyond the immediate ask. What else is going on in their world? What pressures are they under? What changes are coming?

It’s not about turning every interaction into a pitch. It’s about being curious, helpful and making sure they know just how much your firm can do to support them.

Just like the sandwich shop that became your go-to for lunch and for the occasional dinner.

To get better business results, your firm needs to have a structured and skilled approach to business development that is part of business as usual, involving a wide range of client facing individuals. Contact me to discuss how I can help your firm work on this.