All You Can Eat Buffets

“The moment clients realize that the revisions are not an all-you-can-eat buffet, suddenly, they realize they are not hungry.”

– Soonduk Krebs, Principal, SK Designworks

I could write so much about this quote.  But it stands for itself, and needs none of my words to strengthen it.

Take Me By the Hand

Touch is an important part of being a human, right?  We hold hands with newborn babies, their grip so tight it is hard to believe something so young has such strength.  Once upon a time we refused to hold hands with a boy or girl because of, gasp–cooties!  Then there were days when holding that hand meant you were going together for all the world to see.  Yes, taking someone by the hand was a big deal for us early in our lives.

It’s a wonder how that changes when we enter the working world.  We have such high expectations for those with whom we work, that we forget that a little appropriate hand holding might go a long way.  For clients and creatives, it’s my personal feeling that there should be more hand holding.  If you respect both clients and creatives as experts in their field (their business and craft, respectively), then it would be safe to work under the assumption that they know less about the other subject.

For example, a graphic designer may have graduated at the top of his class and now work very successfully as a freelance creative.  All of his clients are happy with him because he is clearly knowledgeable, professional, affordable, reliable–the list goes on.  But one day he starts to work with a new client who is an expert brick layer (for the sheer purpose of this example).  Said Brick Layer is the highest rated expert in his growing town, and has been gaining popularity even in this down economy.  The small town is just bursting at the seems and he stays busy all the time.  He has a little extra income to finally higher a professional graphic designer to redesign his now outdated logo, letterhead, business cards and maybe even the website.  They agree on an estimate, timeline and deliverables.  All is well. Until a few months later the relationship has taken a turn for the worse.  The Designer and Brick Layer have strayed from their original plans, the project is way behind schedule and both parties are well beyond frustrated with one another.

It’s been my experience that this unfortunate outcome can be avoided by setting clear expectations, sticking to those original plans and sharing a little insider knowledge along the way.  Companies and individuals jocky to position themselves as experts all the time.  It’s part of their business plan to be seen as the expert.  So why not spend a bit of time at the beginning of the relationship to help educate both parties so that they share a common point of reference, or starting point?  If you start the project with a level playing field, it’s more likely to go off without a hitch.

From the very beginning, Brick Layer could have said, “I know my trade, my business and my customers really well.  But I know less about what you do.  Share with me some of what you know along the way so we can work better together.”  Designer could have said, “Listen, I studied a lot about graphic/web design, but I know less about laying bricks.  I am so fascinated by what you do, please share more about it with me.  I would be happy to tell you what I know about design, too!”  Both sides learn from one another, both sides benefit from the relationship and both sides get more for their time, efforts and money spent.

Yes, a relationship like that does take a little more time up front.  And, yes, that does mean you have to build more lead time into the project.  And, yes, you do need to do a lot of research to be sure you are the best partner for one another.  And, no, you shouldn’t share all of your trade secrets so that you’re no longer respected as an expert.  Save some of what you do, but share just enough to help foster a healthy relationship.  And always keep in mind that shopping for the right relationship for both clients and creatives will be key to the success of a project.

If these things can be accomplished, I think they result in a much more powerful deliverable than the first scenario–something that will make both clients and creatives happy.  And, just by taking time to lead one another by the hand–diplomatically, politely and with genuine interest–I think the two can start the project on the same page and create much greater results in the end.

I welcome conversation about these topics, and want to know if you agree or disagree.  Tell me your story, and what you learned from it.

The 10 Minute Phone Call

It’s 4:45pm, and in a few moments people will flee from the office. Let’s see if I can write this in 10 minutes!

One of my vendors is incredibly effective. He is always on top of things, and makes my job as a communications manager much easier. We’re organized to outsource, and he understands what we need in order to get things done. He understands how to make my job easier. In today’s day of instant communication, there is much to be said for the 10-minute phone call.

This particular vendor of mine can accomplish so much in such a short time on the phone. It continues to amaze me. As we, as a people, continue to cram more and more into the same number of hours each day, it becomes increasingly important to work efficiently. Not to sound like the The Bobs from Office Space, but working efficiently makes my job so much easier. Having a vendor that understands this helps me do more for my clients.

This is not meant to underestimate the work that must be done on the client side. There is much work to be done before I initiate a new project with him: meetings with my coworkers, budgeting the project, setting timelines and deadlines and such. But by the time I get off the phone with him, we have covered the hellos, how are yous, and important details of the entire project.

There are any number of ways to communicate today. Are you using the best means in order to get your work done? Find a way that works well for you, and for your business partners.

Lessons

1. There are many ways to communicate; use the best one. The people you do business with will thank you for ensuring that you work effectively.  Find out what works for them, and what works for you. Then evaluate the process once you get comfortable with it.

2. Be sure you’re working as efficiently as possible. Clients: Do your homework before initiating a call to your vendor. They will move faster if you can answer their questions immediately. Know who has the authority to approve estimates, timelines and details, and you’re agency will thank you for it. Vendors: Know how to give your clients what they need quickly. Don’t sit on an estimate request; get it in their hands as soon as possible in the way they will receive it quickly(by email? phone?). Work effectively, and they will know that you mean business.  And they will likely bring you more business.

Note: I would have finished this in 10 minutes, but my attention was diverted momentarily for two very important client conversations. Ironicially, one of the clients asked if it was alright to just drop by my office instead of replying by email. We spoke for a moment about the best way to reach each other for feedback on a press release.  AHA! The very point of the post, hey? I love it when that happens.

Messy, Unnecessary Mistakes

Yesterday I shared the beginning of this blog via Twitter, and regrettably sent a link to the login page instead.  That’s what I get for trying to hustle too quickly at the end of a long day…a messy, unnecessary mistake.  It’s something that could happen to anyone, and quite often does.  But when you’re in the business of communicating messages (whether you label it marketing, communications, design or public relations), those little mistakes can cost you dearly.

In today’s economy, when companies big and small are competing to stay afloat, every step (and misstep) matters. In my humble opinion, it matters even more for existing relationships. It’s might be easier to keep new clients happy because it’s a new relationship, and typically agencies are eager to please during the honeymoon phase.

Think of it this way. Remember those days when you started dating someone new? On the first date, you are nothing but niceties and manners. But by the end of the first year, you are much more relaxed with each another. You see your partner in comfortable clothes or without makeup, and usually all of your bad habits are exposed. You are close. Intimate. And trust one another. This can happen with your agency, too.

It won’t look like the same relationship because you’re not dating. You may not see each other in your comfortable clothes, but you do get more comfortable. The relationship becomes more harmonious. The agency can anticipate incoming projects, and gets better at quickly estimating the cost to complete work. The client gets better at doing homework before calling to initiate new projects. And, together, they serve both their respective businesses more effectively.

Then the day arrives when the agency sends the client a press release with a typo. That is the day that the relationship gets too comfortable. The amount of trust that has been built up over time starts to erode because of this messy, unnecessary mistake. The client starts to question, “If they are a communications agency [read: marketing, communications, design, writing, etc.] and they make a mistake like this, how can I trust them with these bigger projects?”

The client feels disappointed and betrayed. The agency might feel embarrassed, or worse, not really care that they made a mistake. They get defensive and blame the client for having too many projects or unrealistic expectations. There are a million reasons why that one typo made it to the client. But what gets overlooked after a mistake is very important.  The bigger picture must not be overlooked!

It is the responsibility of the agency to set reasonable expectations, exceed those expectations and deliver on every promise they make to the client. It is the responsibility of the client to hire a qualified agency that is capable of meeting the needs of the business. After all, every part of creative communications is meant to support the goals of each business in the relationship. If the relationship is not healthy for both the client and the agency, then it is not worthwhile.

There are a million reasons why a typo—or any type of messy, unnecessary mistake—can happen in a client/creative relationship. Like my mistake yesterday, it can be a result of hurrying or trying to do too much at once. Or, worse, it can be the sign of a declining relationship.

Once this happens, there are a few places the two businesses in the relationship can go from here. The agency can fess up to the mistake, the two companies can make amends and repair the damages. Or, the agency and the client can assess the situation and decide to move on in different directions—severing the relationship before it costs too much on each side.

Either way, pay attention to those messy, unnecessary mistakes.  They may seem like no big deal when it happens, but if not dealt with immediately they can fester and grow into very costly problems.

As a client, don’t read too much into the mistakes, but be very prepared when they happen. An agency should do everything possible to be sure each job meets the client with no messy, unnecessary mistakes like typos. Take pride in the work you share, and do your best on each little project.  They usually lead to bigger ones when handled magnificently.

Lessons Learned

1. Mistakes happen. They are unfortunate and unacceptable from an agency, but when they do happen, the agency should fess up appropriately (and not get defensive or make excuses).

2. Pay attention: small mistakes can be a sign of what’s to come. It may have been just a typo, but it could be a sign of a declining relationship.  Be sure that you reassess the relationship regularly to know it is still a fit for both parties.

Purpose: Getting More Bang for Your Buck

My family is a creative one.  A family that celebrates constructive criticism and artistic endeavors, no matter how large or small.  Throughout my life, creativity has been celebrated and explored.  The arts were something to live, breathe and enjoy.

My background is in photography and design, but in my full time job I work as a marketing communications (marcomm) professional as a liaison between creatives and left-brained individuals.  I see the challenges that each face, and work to help keep both sides happy.  While I never took stock in the idea of a middle man, I find myself in that very position today.  And I rather enjoy helping each other understand how to work better together.

The purpose of this blog is to help both clients and creatives understand the process so that it may be better appreciated and understood.  We live in a do it yourself (DIY) world, where gratification is almost instant and processes are automated or outsourced.  So this space is really to help us all see what goes on behind that magic creative curtain so that we can work better together.

If it takes off and gets interest, great.  If not, then it allows me a chance to write down lessons learned and hopefully share them with others when they are needed.  Most of all, though, I hope it will help build community and understanding so that the work created is improved, appreciated and shared!

To the clients:
What experiences have you had with creatives that succeeded or failed?
Is there something you would like to better understand about how they work?

To the creatives:
Have you recently had a bad experience with a customer?  What happened?  Was it resolved well?  What could have been done differently?
Is there something you would like your clients to better understand about the work you do?

PURPOSE
The purpose of this blog is to explore the challenges we face: both for clients and creatives.  It is meant to help us safely explore how we can work better together.  This means more bang for your buck for both clients and creatives.  Clients work more efficiently with creatives, doing their part to understand the process and achieve better results.  Creatives work more effectively with clients, improving their final deliverables and customer satisfaction.  In short, the purpose is to create a win-win for both sides by exploring how to work better together more efficiently to achieve better results.