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advice, accountability and assistancefor creative businessesadvice, accountability and assistancefor creative businesses
Problem Clients:How to Spot Them and Turn Them Into Good Ones
with Ilise Benun @MMToolboxIllustrations by Iain Keith Murray @IainKeith
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Business advice, accountability and
assistance exclusively for creative professionals.
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Word of mouth No bizdev
Vulnerable Can’t say no to
“Problem clients” No time for bizdev
No marketing bad clients
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Problem clients vs.
Clients with problems
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Red flag #1: Chaos
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• External: Chaos in the corporate culture.• Unrealistic demands and expectations.• Internal: No organizational skills or discipline. • Both: no consequences.
What could be happening:
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1. Give them structure.2. Have a process and enforce it.3. “Yes, but…”
3 things you can do:
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Red flag #2: No budget
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• They don’t understand what’s involved and can’t justify the price.
• They’re under a lot of pressure.• They’re penny pinchers.
What could be happening:
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1. Demonstrate what’s involved.2. Adjust the scope of work.3. Lobby later for “extra budget.”
3 things you can do:
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Red flag #3: Cluelessness
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• Younger and younger workforce. • Layoffs == no replacements!• People in jobs they aren’t qualified for.• Higher demands on you.
What could be happening:
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1. Educate them. 2. Gently insist on including decision-makers.3. Make them your best friend.
3 things you can do:
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Red flag #4: Disrespect
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• They have little power.• Office politics.• Frustration on the job.• Problems at home.• General bad attitude.
What could be happening:
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1. Don’t react emotionally. 2. Don’t take it personally. 3. Don’t jump to conclusions.4. Think about what’s going on for them.5. Be accommodating yet firm.
3 things you can do:
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• Take time to figure them out.• Listen for what’s really going on.• Shift to their “frequency.”• Be the one who “gets” them.• That’s rare and engenders loyalty.
Handling the “high maintenance”
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The simple solution
• Strong positioning.• Proactive marketing.• Full pipeline.• Process for weeding out the duds.
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Ad Age&
Illustrator, Iain Keith Murray @IainKeith
Thank you
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www.creativeguidetomoney.com
www.marketing-pricing-guide.com
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In the MM Toolbox:
Volume 2Includes:9 new proposals +Best Practices Checklist
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Ilise Benun
• Mentor and business coach tocreative agencies/professionals
• Host/Co-Producer of “Creative Business” track of HOW Design Live
• Author of 7+ books
• (201) 653-0783