What do you do if your Live Events clients are resistant to your proposed ideas?

Amen! This is true in everyday life and connections too! Listening first is something many extroverts struggle with, and have to actively remind themselves to do FIRST. We need to listen to each other first, not jump to conclusions. Open our hearts and minds to understanding one another to accomplish a positive result. This is especially true when we disagree or have a difference of opinion or understanding. If we want to find balance and move forward successfully-in all aspects of life and humanity-we must "listen first."

When in the ideation phase, it is incredibly important to make sure you learn everything you can about your customer. Not only ask as much as you can of your customer about their brand but do your own research. Combining their website and social media channels and look up recent press and media can help in understanding their brand better and what they are hoping to portray as a company to their target audience. Asking the right questions about the clients goals and expectations will help developing an idea that is thoughtfully conceptualized.

I realized that many times clients want you to produce their idea and perfect it - in this case there is no room for my ideas and I tend to tell my clients in advance; "You know your audience better and I do". I do my best to perfect it by making transparent actions that will get them involved and offer my insights if they ask for it.

Some ways to get started is to listen first to where you want to go with this conversation. Quieting the mind will influence your thoughts. Thoughts become things and what a place to be in one's thoughts. A poem can trigger an immediate response in order to heal from your past regressions, be in the moment with the words, the sounds, the smells,the feeling and the taste. You have come this far in your work, now let's see how much you've grown. Who was there along the way, listening so quietly.

As a moderator for live events the key focus is not on realising your own ideas but to help the client realise theirs. Of course this is oftentimes related to your own expertise and the client might not have a clear idea or might not be as experienced. Even in a situation where I feel that my client is headed in the wrong direction I try to listen to their proposal and ask detailed questions as to what the person has in mind. It's always better to pull on one string and even if I am sure that I have a better solution at hand I am oftentimes surprised how solutions that are born out of others opinions will greatly enhance my own view of the topic. It is rare that we truly know something better than someone else. To listen is a superpower!

I like to show them examples of my recent work, or a work that I like. I will try to inspire them to the point that they trust me to take decisions and let them have the final call. Most of the time I'll offer two options to choose from.

Yes always try and be tactful, but I also subscribe to “Sometimes you just aren’t my client if you don’t want the Vision”. And that’s ok! Part of my job is to effectively train my future clients that this is my way of thinking. Prime Example, in my industry I am well Know for ALOT of things but one very distinctive thing most know before they ever darken my doorway is that I HATE BABIES BREATH! In all forms! I do not mince words when it comes to my dislike of it and that I feel it’s ugly and cheap looking. I have done videos, lives, press, interviews, and every other form of media possible mentioning my thoughts on babies breath. Therefore, I NEVER have a client ever ask for it. Sometimes the best approach is the more in your face one??.

I usually give my clients 3 options, one that I like, one that I like less but will feel comfortable doing and one that is out of the range to let them understand we have unlimited options and brainstorming is part of it. the third one always make them more focused about their needs and goals.

It comes back to doing the thing I hated doing in school...show your work! Allow people to understand how you arrived at these ideas based on your previous conversations and learning. Show you actively listened and applied what you learned to building their unique experience. Don't be a cookie cutter booth real estate agent, be a storyteller.

Trust first begins with our reputation- successfully delivering shows for other clients, referrals from them, and testimonials. Once engaged, we maintain transparency and frequent communication. No email goes unanswered. We set a calendar of benchmarks and hold ourselves and the client accountable to those expectations. When obstacles arise, we are forthright, offer solutions, and analyze the impact of each decision. For high-concept designs, we show renders, tell stories, and describe similar examples. We take our ego out of the process and always encourage questions. Most importantly, we always align our approach with the goals of the client. We don’t set out to produce the show “we want,” we produce the show they need.

When discussing the moderation of a live-event it is crucial to build trust with a client. It might be scary for people to give the responsibility of an event into your hands. I try to communicate my opinions on the topic to be discussed clearly and I am transparent about my shortcomings in specific areas of expertise. A crucial part of building trust relates to the mitigation of possible problems. For example, I present a list of worst-case scenarios. By showing the client that I am prepared for unexpected situations, I try to give them a secure feeling when placing an important event into my hands.

This point is closely related to an experience gained from listening. People have different styles of communicating and by listening to their point of view you will gain crucial insights into their motivations. Once you understand what motivates a person it is easier to tune into the rhythm of their thinking. I always ask a client to describe to me how they envision their live-event. From this exercise I can already see if someone is reluctant to give control out of their own hands or if the person is happy to be guided. Oftentimes in this initial phase I am already asked what I would suggest. If not, I know that my client is less inclined to listen to outside views.