Managing Clients Without Losing Your Soul

July 9, 2018

I was sitting with the principal of a renowned design firm the other day, and as he recounted a particularly grueling client meeting, he said something I've heard many times before: He was absolutely certain that a competitor of his would have handled that client meeting differently. His competitor would have put his foot down, telling the client it was his way or the highway. 

Every world-class creative firm I have worked with believes the same thing—that they are the only ones who are taken to task by their clients. They are certain that their competitors are much tougher, laying down the law with clients and telling them what to do.  This, of course, is a myth.  Pure fantasy.

Everyone is ultimately at the mercy of their clients’ demands (just as your client is at the mercy of the financial pressures on them).  This is what it means to be a commercial creative enterprise. Unfortunately, this leads too many hard-working client managers to operate from a position of weakness—afraid that not granting the client every wish will somehow bring the account crashing down.

But great client service is not about not losing the account.  It is about creating a mutually-respectful peer relationship that allows you and your client to produce brilliant, winning work together.

Remember, your client hired you because you are the expert and because they believe you are the one who can solve their creative problems.  It’s your job to give your advice, to push back, and to openly disagree when necessary in order to produce breakthrough work that will bring them the greatest returns.  It’s also your job to accept their decisions. Successful firms are the ones who know how to balance assertiveness with deference. 

These firms also tend to have rich and long-lasting client relationships, because the work that emerges from this kind of partnership is inevitably better than work that comes from caving in.

Creative work is intensely personal—even in a commercial context. It’s tough to pour your heart and soul into something knowing that it could be questioned, or dissected, or outright rejected by your client.  But that’s the game you play in this business.  You win when you summon your courage and defend your brilliant work while showing your client how it will help them win.

When your client starts to see that your passion reflects a commitment to them, they will not just tolerate your feedback, they will actively seek your counsel.  And that’s exactly where you want to be.  Building a true creative partnership with your clients is not just good for business, it's good for the soul.