Trust, open communication, & reliability. These and other traits are the ones that every client advisor must excel in.

1. BECOMING AN AUTHENTIC
STRATEGIC ADVISOR
Jim Donovan
Goldman Sachs

2. TRULY UNDERSTAND
YOUR CLIENT’S NEEDS
• One of the most fundamental parts of developing – and nurturing – a
relationship with a client is truly understanding their needs.
• This is the first part of becoming an authentic strategic advisor.
• To do this, one has to learn everything there is to know about the client.
• This goes way beyond just pigeon-holing their needs vis-à-vis you as
their client manager.
• In other words you have to become their overall manager to truly be
perceived as a trusted strategic advisor.

3. DEVELOP TRUST
• A client manager needs to do whatever he or she can to ensure their
client truly trusts them.
• This means that by the end of any interaction, the client should feel they
can come back to you on any subject for advice.
• Do not restrict your management to just the task at hand.
• For merger bankers, this means that throughout the actual process you
must be their right-hand.
• Thus you should use the time you spend with the client during the
intense merger period to tighten your relationship with the CEO.

4. STAY IN TOUCH
• As a client manager, you may just be endowed with one particular
assignment. When that is complete, a regular client manager will just
walk away.
• A client manager who has managed to become a strategic advisor
however, will maintain a relationship even when not directly working
with the client.
• This translates into more work. The next time that client requires a client
manager – even if officially you have not been in the picture for a few
months or even years – they will return to you.
• Stay in touch at all times.

5. PERCEPTION IS EVERYTHING
• How the client views you is crucial.
• Ultimately the client will start to see the manager as someone who can
do more than just the job for which they were originally hired.
• Let the client feel that you are doing the best in every single area; not
just that for which you were hired.
• Read the news on related subjects to the firm and bring it up to the CEO.
• Show an interest in the firm in all its facets.

6. FIND THE GAPS
• Knowing about what is going on in the industry can help you - as a
client manager - see if there are any gaps.
• Does the client need an additional team to deal with something else that
is emerging in the industry?
• If so, perhaps you – the client manager – can help them put that
together.
• Is additional technology needed for a project? If so, again, perhaps you
can be of assistance.

7. BE INDISPENSABLE
• At the end of the day, being a good client manager is about doing your
job; being a great client manager is taking it to the next level.
• As a client manager you are dispensable; as a strategic advisor it is more
likely you will be indispensable.
• Choose wisely for greater success.

8. JIM DONOVAN: SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES