Effective Thing #4
EFFECTIVE THING #4
Over-Communicating the Process
Anyone who’s worked in a restaurant is familiar with what happens when an order is placed. The server punches it into a system that signals a printer in the kitchen to produce a piece of paper (a chit) with your order on it. Often times, the server will follow the chit into the kitchen to explain something or ask a question. Sometimes, there’s a substitution that might slow down the order sometimes there’s external factors at play. The kitchen ran out of carrot sticks and someone is chopping them, there’s not enough room on the grill, we’re just waiting on the baked potato before that plate can go out, or maybe that chit just joined a thousand chits hanging in front of the panicked kitchen staff and the server should maybe come back in a sec with the question.
At your table, where you can’t see the frenzy of activity, it just feels like a long wait. The server might come by and explain, apologize, but the longer the wait goes the more you start to question things. And ultimately start to get a bit pissed off.
I’m here to tell you that every type of service job is like this. And that’s exactly what a creative job is. It’s a service for someone who wants you to produce a creative solution to their problem.
The more you see the similarities between the customer waiting at the table and your client looking for an update on their project the more you’ll understand why over-communicating the process is a strategy for happy clients.
This is absolutely critical when this is your first project with a client. No matter how confident you’ve made them when sealing the deal, every client starts to wonder when they haven’t heard from you in too long.
Ok so this isn’t as great a point for attracting work you love as much as it’s an absolute commandment for all work in general, but learning this was the single most significant point to ensure client satisfaction and encouraging repeat business and I would put it on any list of tips far and wide.
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Contact Them Before They Contact You
Look at the process like a game with one simple rule. If the client contacts you asking for an update you lose.
That sounds harsh, but think of it this way: if they’re reaching out, it’s already too late. They’ve already spent time wondering, debating messaging you, holding out, and then screw-it. they hit send. That time spent wondering will erode their confidence. Let it build at your peril.
Or no, don’t let it build. Try this instead:
Set a cadence with the client early. Once a week has always been a sweet spot for a larger review meeting and with short updates/dispatches sent between.
When first starting with a new client, I like to send an update every two days. That’s easy to remember, because if I didn’t send them an update yesterday, I owe them one today.
You’d be surprised what can be an update. Be honest. If there isn’t an update, explain why - that’s the update. Explain why there’s not much to see, let them know it’s moving along, and if there’s a block, what’s needed to move it.
Do everything you can to stick to the cadence. Don’t make a big deal about it. You don’t need to announce it as the official thrice-weekly 48 hour summary. But just be consistent.
The added bonus of this is that the more often you update small updates the less scrutiny your updates will face.
As the project carries on, and the more the client sees progress the more the project urgency will start to relax. But be warned, the two times this type of cadence is critical is at the beginning before they have seen anything, and at the end when they’re looking to wrap things up.
Be the sharp one in the relationship. Be the one that keeps things grooving. They’ll love you for it.
The Takeaway
You’ve sold them with the killer portfolio work, you nailed the meeting and they feel great about sending you a deposit and everyone enters the project excited. Now the real game starts. You will go from “What a great creative services provider” to “Who do they think they are?” fast if you don’t talk them through what’s going on back there.
Remember they can’t see the chits, they can’t see the grill or the carrots getting chopped. They’re just sitting there. Send them an email.
Ok - But How Do I Get Work I Love?
At the top of this section, I confessed that this technically isn’t an insight tailored specifically for getting the work you love, but I will tell you this - it sure as hell is the best way to keep clients you love.
That being said, every industry has a seasonality to it. Researching this and understanding when to contact a potential client is key.* If you can pair this with a rough proposal of how you can help out within their timeline, you’ll definitely get their attention. Sport and fashion industries have very specific seasons, but so does every other business.
I don’t do as much music industry work as I used to but, if I have a contact at a band that has just announced tour dates, I like to reach out and see if they have everything they need for the tour. Tour managers in particular are saddled with sorting out a million moving parts and that includes easy wins like merch and credentials (passes and laminates that all need particular design details). It’s my secret to getting free tickets to shows.
*Going about your detective work to find out this info can also be a casual conversation-starter. A great low-pressure way to start a conversation without asking for work directly is to just engage someone about the seasonality of their needs.
KEEP READING
KEEP READING
You did it! You kept the client happy and have a fantastic case study for your portfolio. But now you need to secure your next gig by:
EFFECTIVE THING #5
Show-and-Telling Everyone