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How long were you an SAE before promoting to AS?
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Any info you have will help you direct the conversation towards it and build rapport.
I try to remember small things they mention from week to week and follow up on it. If they go on vacay, ask how it was. Do they have hobbies they mention? Big or small things happening at their company?
I try not to prod too much, but I do think they appreciate when you remember small things they mention and show you genuinely care about them as a human, not just a client.
Each client is different so I approach each client and develop rapport differently according to the client.
Ask them about their personal career goals - what do they want to achieve in their role in the coming months/year? What do they like doing/not like doing? What are they strong at, what skills do they want to further develop? What keeps them up at night? If you support them individually, as well as support their business goals, you’ll have a seriously strong relationship. By all means have a casual convo too, about interests and passions, but the former will pique their interest more.
Every client is different but i always treat them the same and am the same casual person with all.
Think about it this way. Not only are they purchasing your companies service but they are also bringing you and your own personality and quirks and whatnot. Being approachable, factual, and myself has always worked for me, regardless of my clients position (middle management to C-Suite)
Do not be afraid to crack and joke here and there. If they dont respond favorably then i dont joke.... as much.
Get on client calls early with another member of your team and chat about whatever. Then when clients hop on, bring them into the conversation (ex: Oh hey client, we were just talking about Game of Thrones, are you watching that?)
After a particularly difficult or complicated request, reach back out to the client to say thank you. It can be a brief thank you, “we really appreciate your help tracking that down” or whatever. You’ll likely stand out from the rest of the requests that seemingly go unappreciated, and someone, somewhere, will remember your “thank you” when you need something the next time. Sort of echoes the “human” sentiment mentioned by Sr AM 1 here.
Ask what their expectations are and learn about their background - chances are if they been in the industry long they'll have higher expectations on the work you deliver
Besides the many great tips listed here about asking about their goals and expectations, one thing that has worked for me over the years is to share about my personal life (goals, hobbies, interests). Years ago I would focus on "keeping it professional".
I feel that this approach was allowed them to open up as well. Of course, all of this while being tactful and not dipping into TMI territory LOL
If they have kids, guarenteed they’ll love to talk to you about them
Clients are human, too. They have frustrations, conflicts, real lives outside of the office.
Of course, service their work needs, be attentive, be courteous, be communicative.
But also, listen to those moments where they show humanity — be an ear, and when possible a solution.
Empathy and emotional intelligence go such a long way. By no means become a therapist, but do have an awareness of moods and pain points for them and if you can’t alleviate them, at least acknowledge them (privately, appropriately). Let them know you’re not just a service provider, you’re a person on their team and in their corner.
If all else above fails, ask them for a coffee, or drop by some coffee for their crew.