How to tell your clients the truth

When there is a disagreement on strategy, tactics or creative approach, how many of us have wished we could say, “You are not an expert in this area, but I am.” There are ways you can, that keep your client relationship intact and collaborative.

I once worked with a big-hearted, funny and talented creative director who would present ideas that were nitpicked by clients or stakeholders for the most subjective and uninformed reasons. They’d say things like, “I just don’t like orange,” or “Can’t we talk about race cars in there somewhere?” He’d listen patiently, nodding, and then say, “Hmmm, what design school did you go to?” Of course, they’d admit they didn’t. Then he’d flash a big grin, “Ah hah! I thought so! Good thing for us I did!” And we’d all laugh.

The key to moving the process along is to help the non-expert in the room feel comfortable and have their opinion heard. Useful follow-on questions and comments range from a simple “tell me more,” (to understand the rationale behind their personal opinion), or “that’s interesting, what do you mean by…” (to clarify unfamiliar language they might use).

When the client says something that makes the voice in your head say, “that’s insane,” or “this person is clueless,” keep calm and carry on, and as my draftsman Dad used to say, “zip it.” Your job is to create enthusiasm for the work at hand and have everyone in the room walk away more educated and excited. Build trust and respect and then deliver.

I agree with Allen Greer at HubSpot…

https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/handling-difficult-clients#sm.00012j25iilq4f4jval2m52pgd9n5

It’s not always easy, but these guidelines have worked for me:

1. Lower expectations and then exceed them. Don’t automatically agree with every client demand. Be reasonable with your own team. Explain the challenges of the demands. And then go back to the drawing board and create something different and better, or faster, or cheaper.
2. Don’t apologize. Remind your client that creativity can be messy – and that’s where great ideas come from. Sometimes plans change, and you need to continue to explore and discover new solutions. Just ask for patience and understanding.
3. Stay in control and on track. Remind everyone of the plan, the schedule and budget. Review expectations and adjust accordingly (see #1, above). It’s your work, your team, your reputation; own it.