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Whether you are a designer, marketing director, PR manager, service crew, a consulting agency, or even a CEO. At some point, you will have to talk, pitch, or negotiate with a client. Communicating with a client is probably one of the most challenging things a person, an organization, or a company can do. It’s almost like a performance. But you have to do it more frequently. Dealing with clients takes a lot of skill, patience and oftentimes, it takes a lot of time and research. It’s like going into battle.
When it comes, design, communication plays an even more crucial role. Not only do you have to pitch a design to a client, but you also have the responsibility to effectively convey the message to the public.
That’s why here are tips and tricks in order to establish robust and effective client communication.
- Research your enemy, I mean your client – Well, don’t treat them like one, but take it as if you are looking for major weak points. This is good for pre – and post client meetings. Clients will often respond or more likely to open up if there is a commonality between the two parties. Maybe learn the history of the company, what’s their core business or maybe how they approach or run the company.
- Transparency is the Key – This needs no introduction. Just be honest about what you feel and what you want for them as a client. But also ask the same thing to your client on what they feel and what they want, out of you or your company. For example, be honest about the progress of the design. How long will take for the design to be done? What would be the cost of your service, where would they be in the different stages of development? Things like that help establish trust between you and the client. Take note. It’s better to have this in a questionnaire form.
- Present the full picture – Have the client know what they will be getting out of you or your company. This is the project output. Which is based on the terms and conditioned what has been agreed upon. There are some instances where a client will overstep and will try to get something more on what was agreed upon.
One tip. Make sure to have this on paper…that way, you can always go back and review it.
- Establish the roles – and learn where to draw the line. Oftentimes, clients can get impatient about the result and will try to intervene with the process. This is where you have to learn to assert your role. Of course, do it in an acceptable manner. In this case, learn to explain that you or the company are in charge and that you would happily entertain any suggestions after maybe the initial, final, or first draft.
- Keep Calm and Maintain Flexibility – Clients come in different flavors….personality-wise. There will be clients that are good and understanding, some do not. Some clients are willing and are open to communication. Other clients will only come at the last stage of development. That’s why it’s important to tailor-make your approach and adjust it according to the client’s personality. But do it naturally, don’t force it. Learn to be flexible and be creative with your approach. Don’t just stick to a one-sided approach.
This is A Blog Written by EHP Consulting Group
Find Out More: www.ehpconsultinggroup.com
Email: [email protected]
Call: (925) 293-3313
