Highlight Your Value

Firms often spend enormous energy demonstrating their value to clients only to squander an easily overlooked but important opportunity: the bill.

I was reminded of this when a client shared this feedback in a recent interview: “The way the entries are submitted makes you lose sight of the value. …. I know how hard they work. I often remember a deal and if it was good or bad, but the bills could help remind me of the value, savings, or (if it was high) what occurred to make it higher than others.”

Typical billing entries may document the work, but they don’t always tell the client why the work mattered. By the time the invoice arrives, the client may barely remember the fire drill, negotiation, or strategic decision behind that time. Your bill should remind them why the money was well spent.

That means treating the bill as another client touchpoint and giving clients enough context to understand the value behind the number. Consider these ideas for making the bill part of the value story:

• Describe the outcome, not just the activity.
• Highlight efficiencies by pointing out where prior knowledge, technology, or staffing decisions saved the client time or money.
• If a bill is higher than expected, provide context.
• Connect significant time to significant value.
• Use a short cover note with any broader context for important bills.

Before sending it, ask yourself: “If I hadn’t thought about this matter for six weeks, would this bill remind me why our work was valuable?”

The bill isn’t just the end of the engagement. It’s one more opportunity to reinforce your role as a thoughtful steward of the client’s resources.