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Presenting work to clients doesn’t have to be like walking through a mine field. Will they like it? Will they get it? Will they pay for it? If you find these thoughts running through your mind it’s not because your clients are “dumb”, or because they don’t understand “the process.” When presentations bomb it’s usually because there were three things missing: The client’s voice, the client’s vision and the client’s passion. Leaving out any one of these components can leave a client feeling unheard and their ideas unjustified.
The Voice
We had a brand identity client who used very specific words when describing his business. It was obvious that these specific words held a lot of weight in how he perceived his company. During our exploration and research phase we kept his top ten descriptive words in mind = so much so that in the presentation we highlighted them in red (like Jesus), so that he could both hear and see that we moved his voice forward in our research. In this case, our research findings weren’t directly in line with what the client proposed to do. But, the fact that he could see where and why we diverted from his initial strategy helped the presentation go very smoothly.
The Vision
Clients love their companies. They often have a hard time admitting to flaws in their products or processes. As the experts, we can see things more clearly without the emotional bias. The challenge is getting the clients to let go. Suppose your client wants to move into mass retail but the product name is completely wrong. It sounds high end like something you would find in a boutique. You can beat them into submission by harping on all that’s wrong or you can dissect and conquer. It may sound to your client like you don’t believe in their WHOLE product – like you don’t share their vision of success. This is where you strategically split the product apart: name, packaging, manufacturing, history, current following/sales, advertising, features, etc. You then conduct comparative studies of each attribute in the marketplace to determine the strength of each. Taking a more “clinical” approach will allow you to focus on strengths and weaknesses rather than on just one “barrier.”
Passion
Come on Internet security! Bring on the dental tools! Can’t wait to talk industrial fork lift tires! You don’t need to have a pep rally each time you meet with a client, but you must find a level of enthusiasm that goes beyond how much you’re billing an hour. You don’t need be personally excited to see your client. There’s a chance that he or she is dry as toast in the dessert. Where does the passion come from? You’re passionate about doing great work. You’re passionate about the client’s goals. You’re passionate about increasing market share. When you step back and think about the marketing and design process, there have to be areas where you are excited to do what you do. You communicate this by saying, “You know Chuck, and we have a great opportunity to really increase sales in this area.” Or, “Mary, I think this project will really help your customers understand the company much better and increase loyalty.” At the end of the meeting you express your excitement about jumping in and learning, working and preparing for the next meeting – which you set before the client leaves. This makes them feel like you’re invested and that their work is priority. The truth may be that you’re busy and their project is small potatoes. When you earn the trust and respect of any client you’ve most likely done your job well – which always leads to better things down the road.
