The Client Factor

Last week Lauren and I went to SCAD Atlanta to speak with students about life after art school. Well, I spoke with them about life after art school. Lauren had much more professional and beneficial insights to share.

Since I’ve been working here at eos, my life has been a whirlwind of designing websites, concepting, creating print collateral, logo redesigns, anything creative you can imagine, I’ve had the great fortune to do it all here. And I love it. So on the way to speak to these design students, I took a moment to reflect on how different life is when you leave art school and enter the corporate world.

The biggest and most important difference is what I like to call “The Client Factor.” Simply put (but not so easily executed), you are no longer creating for yourself, you are creating for the client.

And creating for the client takes modesty and professionalism (something that a lot of artists have trouble with). It also requires you to establish a level of trust with your client. After all, this is THEIR money you’re spending. Their hard work has earned that money. It’s imperative that you are empathetic to this.

That said, The Client Factor requires thorough planning before you even consider the execution. A lot of times people think creative work is just making something pretty. Not true at all. You must have a concept. A strategy. A support system that assures your client you are handling their hard-earned money with the utmost amount of sensitivity and smarts.

Look at good design out there today, I promise you it was made possible because of a domino-effect series of events between the client and the creative.

1. A plan was established
2. Trust developed between the client and the creative team because of this plan
3. This trust allows the creative to have more leeway when developing the work, leaving both companies with work that they all can be proud of.

So, in looking back after art school, I’ve learned that it is no longer about me. It’s about the client. It’s no longer about me. It’s about the client. If you’re a creative, say this over and over and over. And then over again. Because it can be tough at times. But if you can get that burned into your brain, I assure you, everyone involved will come out on top.

Who knew bananas could spark creativity?

Tips for Entrepreneurs

Margaret and I went to Cliff Oxford’s Entrepreneur Advisors event last Friday, February 26^th at the Ritz-Carlton. We are founding members of the Entrepreneur Advisor’s group, but our hectic schedules make it difficult to attend the continuing education events it offers. Going to this symposium was time well-spent, and reminded us of the importance of “sharpening the saw” every now and then. We were excited to have our newest client, Janice Howell, co-owner of MODA Floors & Interiors, join us as our guest.

The day was filled with discussions on strategies that entrepreneurs can use to develop and improve their businesses. For me, there were several topics that reinforce the EOS business model, and the marketing advice that we provide our clients.

 I found Cliff Oxford’s Three Steps of Change Management to be very intriguing, especially in the Atlanta’s current economic climate. These steps include:

•  When tackling a major project or problem, find a bright spot then clone it. In other words, find something that’s working and do it over and over again.
• Change comes from doing, not knowing. Sometimes you just have to start moving even before you have all the facts - clarity will come with action.
• Simplify the problem to its core essence and it will be easier to identify the right course of action.

We also spent some time talking about lead nurturing & management - especially online leads. The presenter used this New Yorker cartoon to highlight some of the positives and negatives of interacting with people on the internet.

The positive aspect of “no one knows you’re a dog” is the level playing field created by anonymity of Internet - small companies can have the same impact and presence as large ones. However, on the negative side, if you don’t use your online presence to clearly communicate who you are and the value you bring to your customers, you might as well be a dog.   

We’ll keep you updated on the next Entrepreneur Advisor’s event. We hope to see you there!