Once you’ve been around the block – especially in the marketing industry – you will come across a client or two that try to snowball you, push you to write copy that you know isn’t in their best interest, or the worse yet – fill a damn display ad with paragraph upon paragraph of useless verbiage that no one will ever read.
For the first few years of my company I subscribed to the saying “The customer is always right”. Eventually that damn light bulb went off in my brain again – if the customer knew what he or she was doing than why they hell are they paying me? Yes. Big Light Bulb Moment.
The truth of the matter is we are all experts at something. I don’t ask my gynecologist about my sore knee. I wouldn’t go to a cardiologist for a mammogram, I’m not going to ask my accountant about what paint color would look best with my new couch.
I’ve talked about being an expert before. When you reach “expert” stage you are no longer a vendor but an adviser. You don’t get asked to quote things, you are trusted and price isn’t an issue. If you have worked with a client for awhile and they are still telling you how to do your job it is time for the talk. So how do you tell a client “no”? Carefully.
Remember that confidence sells. Don’t be pushy – be confident and simply explain that this is what you do and they need to trust your advise as that is what they are paying for. It also helps to show examples of other clients that had similar situations and how you created solutions for their problems.
If you don’t exert your “Expert-ness” you are doing your client a disservice – as they will not get the results they are looking for and expecting. You will get a lower than “great” approval rating at the end of the project. Trust me – I’ve been there a few times and it never ever worked in my favor to go with the “customer is right” theory. Eventually they believe you are ineffective and will hire someone else who will be the expert.
Believe to Achieve – that’s all it takes. Be the expert, be firm and you will get the results and the referral for the next big client.
Enjoy the day!
Cindy
