Here is something shocking, to me at least: some clients are more interested in the research than the final design.
I heard a lecture recently from a designer from a very large international design consultancy. She said that most design research never sees the light of day, because the window of opportunity is narrow, or good ideas just are not easy to do. Even so, clients really appreciate knowing the range of possibilities, even if they aren’t actionable in the context. Some clients really want to shop for ideas more than shop for finished designs.