How to Be a Great Client: Making the Most of Your Client-Consultant Partnership

Bringing in external consultants is often a strategic move that can amplify your internal team’s efforts, provide fresh perspectives, and accelerate results. But the truth is, success in the consultant-client relationship is a two-way street. It depends just as much on the client’s investment as on the consultant’s skill. The best outcomes happen when clients treat consultants like true partners, not hired help.

Here are some tips to become an effective client who gets the most out of your consulting partnership:

1. Treat Consultants Like Team Members, Not Detached Vendors

At Narrative, we believe in the power of "the team." By treating consultants as an extension of your internal team, you lay the groundwork for exciting collaboration and gain access to a wealth of expertise. This approach, which involves early involvement, generous context sharing, and strategic participation, ensures that consultants understand your organization's dynamics.

This allows us to be true partners. In our office, we often say, “Be an advisor, not a notetaker.” This can only happen when we stay in regular communication, provide timely and candid feedback, and are open about the pressures your leadership is applying. When consultants understand your world—including the unspoken dynamics—they can tailor their work to solve real problems, not just check boxes.

2. Share Your Intel--and Ask for Theirs

Consultants and clients each hold unique information advantages. As the client, you can see vendors’ pricing, pitches, and responsiveness. You also have insight into internal dynamics, key figures, and factors that shape your organization’s decisions beyond the scope of your consultant’s engagement. Conversely, consultants work across multiple clients and know what good and bad looks like in many organizational contexts. Smart clients might ask, “How do your best clients approach this differently than we do?”

Don’t assume the consultant knows everything about your landscape—or vice versa. Sharing insights and asking questions creates a constructive feedback loop rooted in mutual respect and curiosity. That’s when ideas evolve, strategies sharpen, and genuine buy-in for a shared mission materializes. 

3. Don't Just Lead--Enable

Remember, the tone and energy you bring to the partnership set the pace. Consultants will match your level of organization, the speed of work, and, equally important, your motivation. If you lead with enthusiasm and a clear vision, you’ll inspire the same in your consulting team. Your leadership matters.

Be transparent about your strategy, intentions, and how you measure success. Let your consultants know not only what you’re doing but also why. What is keeping your boss up at night? What are your members’ or board’s expectations? This broader context helps consultants anticipate needs, inform and guide strategic decision-making, and avoid dead ends.

And don’t hold back ideas because they’re half-baked. Encourage brainstorming—even on far-flung ideas. There’s almost always one good one buried in the mess of ideation.

4. Create a Collaborative and Cordial Environment

Relatedly, great clients create space for voices—consultants and internal teams alike. Don’t treat meetings as performance reviews. Ask questions, invite opinions, and give everyone (on both teams) the chance to contribute. Call on people in meetings. It helps everyone grow.

Finally, don’t take yourself too seriously. Take the work seriously, but keep the process human, light-hearted, and focused. Maintaining a culture that couples a quick laugh alongside purpose goes a long way toward building lasting, productive partnerships. 

5. Respect Their Time and Work--And Recognize the Value Behind It

If you value the results, show that you value the process. Acknowledge the hard work your consulting team is doing, even if much of it happens behind the scenes. Consultants often go the extra mile and are likely to feel unappreciated when their efforts are unseen. Keep them informed of internal recognition and ensure their contributions are visible.

Also, handle contracts and payments proactively. Nothing sours a relationship faster than payment delays or budget surprises. Operational respect matters, and honoring commitments—especially financial ones—is foundational to trust.

The bottom line? Consultants are only as effective as their client allows them to be. When you lead with respect, transparency, and collaboration, you don’t just get better deliverables—you get better thinking, stronger execution, and lasting impact. Be the kind of client people want to do their best work for. The results will speak for themselves.