Preston Bailey wrote a terrific post last week about how he handles first meetings with clients.
Among many other gifts, Preston’s singular genius is his ability to relate and listen to his clients. If anyone had license to ego, it would be Preston. Yet he has none, especially when it comes to his clients. From the moment they walk in the door, it is all about what THEY want, not what Preston can do to impress them.
Preston KNOWS he can take a client’s vision far beyond her wildest dreams, so he never sells it. Preston spends his time when he first meets a client trying to understand what she wants, yes, but mostly trying to establish trust. Every creative business owner should know what Preston does: trust is THE most important currency any artist can have – with it you can do almost anything, without it, almost nothing. Once you know you have to establish, build and maintain trust to be successful, then you build your infrastructure accordingly.
For me, the most fascinating part of Preston’s post are the pictures of his office. I count five designers on his design floor and six floral staff on his production floor. Preston promises his clients that his designs will be incredible, unbelievable statements that will push the envelope of event design each and every time. To deliver on the promise, Preston has invested his money in the resources that can best make that happen. He could just as easily have a space on Fifth Avenue, spend a fortune on advertising and outsource everything (including his design team). But would he be able to deliver on his promise to his clients? Probably not.
Your promise to your clients is limited only to you. And it is up to you whether you put yourself in the BEST position to fulfill that promise. Your resources (i.e., time, energy and money) are limited. Too many times I have seen artists spend these precious resources on what they think they are supposed to be spending them on, rather than on supporting what it will take to best deliver on their promise to their clients. How many amazing websites/blogs have we seen from designers, planners, stationers, photographers, etc. only to be let down when we discover that that is all there is? If the money you are spending (whether on staff, technology, PR, etc.) does not ensure that the trust you have with your clients is never broken, you need to stop. Today.
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this is fantastic & so true! thanks sean:)
Your closing statement really resonates with me.
“If the money you are spending (whether on staff, technology, PR, etc.) does not ensure that the trust you have with your clients is never broken, you need to stop. Today.”
If we asked that question before every decision, I’d say the answer we come up with is a pretty strong bellwether for the success of our investment.
Ben
whoa whoa whoa. makes perfect, perfect sense. what a simple and powerful foundation to start with.
Totally 100% on point… I wish everyone would take this advice. There would be much better (and probably fewer) businesses in this industry!
Each of your posts make me really think about how I run my business. Your insights are so thought provoking. I appreciate you sharing your expertise with us! Can’t wait for your next post.
So true! Thanks for the great advice as always! If you can’t get the client’s trust then you won’t get their business. We all need to listen to our clients to learn what it is they are looking for and how we can help them get what they’re looking for, rather than spending our resources on what we “think” they would like! Thanks again!
This is so true. Before event planning and bridal blogging, I had been in sales for a number of years and no matter what you are ‘selling’, one thing is necessary in making that sale: trust. A good salesperson can talk, but a great salesperson listens. No matter your trade, every one of your customers has a need, and unless your customer trusts that you will meet that need, your first meeting will be your last. Great article! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for such an insightful post. You nailed it – without trust, you don’t have a strong foundation for a company. Always go above and beyond what is expected of you and you will always succeed.
I just stumbled upon your site today and have read a number of great posts. Thanks for taking the time to shed some light on the business side of the creative arts. I’ve been considering setting up a blog and doing it for the right reasons and this gave me the perspective I was looking for. Thank you.
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