In a new pitch situation, there are times when you’d give your left leg to win a new client. They’re promising big things, it’s a lucrative project, and everything looks fine and dandy.
You’re on the cusp of winning them, but then you go and say something that you later realise might not have been the best choice. At the time you’re on fire, you’re eager and keen and feel on top of the world (not to mention you are so excited about these huge fees coming your way).
So you tell the client “we’ll do whatever it takes.”
Congratulations, you’ve just shot yourself in the foot.
The challenge is that these seemingly “small promises” are actually not so small after all. They are simple slips of the tongue which you just said in the heat of the moment, but when it comes to delivery you discover the client has taken it as something set in stone, and now you must deliver it at all costs.
And the costs can be huge.
Whether you’ve truly promised too much or just been overeager to please, don’t panic. This can and does happen to everyone. It particularly happens to creatives and creative agencies. (See this very helpful article for designers, which also applies to creative agencies.)
So, here are a few of those slips you might want to avoid.
1. “We’ll get to work straight away”
Really? Is that possible? One danger of this comment is that it can give the impression that you’re desperate for work. Your client will probably be over the moon that you’ve just agreed to start working without a contract – but it means there’s nothing binding, and you could end up doing a shed load of work with no reward.
2. “You have the final say”
Naturally your client does have the final say. But leaving things up to your client and letting them do whatever they want creatively is often a recipe for disaster. Their choices can be ‘questionable’ at best, and you’re not showing them that it’s YOU who is the authority in the field. Be the expert, and take a stand on what’s critical for the client.
3. “We’ll have it to you some point next week”
Always set specific deadlines, preferably in a contract. It’s better all around. Get it to your clients early and they’ll expect that as the norm. Be vague, and tell them you’ll get it to them later, and they may feel like you don’t care.
4. “We can give you a special discount”
‘Yeah, ok, to sweeten the deal, we can be flexible.’ If you’re not careful, that introductory price you set now will last forever. You’ll always be in an uphill battle to get more money for future projects, and you’ve just devalued your work. Stand up to the prices you offer. You’re worth it.
5. “We’ll get it right for you, no matter what”
Unlimited minor changes. Infinite revisions. The bane of all creative agencies. It’s a simple enough mistake to make when you don’t think you’ll need them, or when you fail to specify what the project entails. But it could be a really costly one. You don’t want to be spending days on a project you charge just a few hours work for.
6. “We’ve made this better for you.”
It’s really important to check in with your client first before making brilliant changes on your own initiative. Would you drive through a red traffic light? No. So whilst it might show initiative, creating your own green light and going above and beyond the brief to take things out of the clients’ hands can cause you trouble. You might be making things better than cannot be changed for any number of reasons.
7. “Oh dear, this previous creative project/designer is horrendous!”
That might well be the case, but did you check beforehand who did the work? Because it might have been the boss himself, or worse still, the boss’s daughter. Some creative types are bold and brash and can get away with this, but it takes a certain skill set to do that, and you may just end up embarrassing yourself and mumbling an apology.
8. “Whenever you can make payment, that’d be great.”
The nightmare’s over and the project is finally finished. Everyone’s happy and you’re just relieved to get it out of the way. So when the client asks about payment, you just utter those fatal words – whenever you can. That’s a really nice gesture and might very well show trust on your part, but for many clients it’s an open invitation to delay payment as long as they possibly can.
As a side plug, we should add that this is just one more reason why you need Xero. There’s no chasing payments when everything is done automatically to a set deadline.
So, what does this mean for your creative agency?
Set the creative project in stone, and don’t get too creative in the pitch.
It’s all about how you lay the groundwork at the beginning. Don’t be too much of a nice guy or a sweet girl during the pitch. It could come back and bite you in the arse! Worse still than wounded pride, it could cost you money too.
Clients appreciate it when you’re upfront and honest, so stick to your guns, plan what you’re going to say, and you’ll naturally impress the client without resorting to these common slips!
And if you’ve said anything else to a client or prospective client you later came to regret, you can use this as a lesson plan for future creative projects.
Got any you’d like to share? Include them in your comments!
