Nxnei 201: Convince clients to love your work as much as you do
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Mavis Huntley is the head of integrated production at John St., a marketing and advertising agency. She outlines 6 steps for effective marketing campaigns: 1) respect the client brief, 2) build relationships, 3) make the campaign eye-catching, 4) simplify complex issues, 5) avoid being defensive, and 6) ensure the conclusion leaves the desired impact. The document advocates focusing on the client needs and creating memorable marketing solutions.
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Nxnei 201: Convince clients to love your work as much as you do
- 1. who am i? mavis huntley head of integrated production, john st. @mavylala
- 2. who is john st.?
- 4. 4johnst.com convince clients to your work as much as you do
- 5. 5johnst.com + 1. respect the brief + 2. build relationships + 3. make it sparkly + 4. uncomplicate complicated things + 5. don’t be defensive + 6. the end is the most important part 6 steps
- 6. 6johnst.com 1. respect the brief
- 7. experience planning 7 1. Ground floor 2. Scouting 3. Brand experience plan 5. measurement & analytics 4. execution and maintenance
- 12. 12johnst.com 3. make it sparkly
- 17. 17johnst.com
- 22. 22johnst.com 6. the end is the most important part
- 24. 24johnst.com + 1. respect the brief + 2. build relationships + 3. make it sparkly + 4. uncomplicate complicated things + 5. don’t be defensive + 6. the end is the most important part 6 steps
Editor's Notes
- My background is in technology and I ’ ve been working in digital production for about 10 years. Until a year ago I led the digital production dept at john st and was the head of digital innovation. In July of last year, we decided to merge our separate print, digital and broadcast production departments because no longer were we just creating one single medium. The benefits of doing that have been endless; better end product, cost savings, personal growth for the people in the department, time efficiencies etc.
- We are a boutique advertising agency located in downtown Toronto with about 110 people. We are a creative driven shop where we want to be proud of not only one or two things that we do, but everything that we do.
- That ’ s why our vision and motto is this. With that vision in mind we ’ ve been lucky to get some global recognition for not only the work we produce for our clients but also our own initiatives. I ’ ll show you two videos of to give you a taste of our work and our personality.
- I know a lot of creative ’ s these days sigh when they see a creative brief. Most complaints I ’ ve heard is that it ’ s too long, and they just want us to tell them what they need to know. At john st. we struggle from the same thing, we ’ ve had templates with lots of pretty pictures, one page documents, keynote presentations, all in an effort to give the Creative ’ s what they are looking for. Just remember that the brief is to the client that your idea is to you. Something they ’ ve put a lot of time and effort into.
- For example, in our shop we have specific steps that feed into that one page document. After the client briefs us, we engage an experience planner (or strategists as some of you may refer to them) who leads the process with the Account team in order to create that magnificent brief. We have a ground floor meeting with key stakeholders, we scout the competition, the landscape and the target - all to give you the information to make your idea successful. So I know it ’ s hard, but by respecting the brief, you ’ ve passed the first hurdle in getting your work sold.
- It ’ s just as important for creative ’ s to build relationships with their clients as it is for the account team. So attend those boring status meetings once in a while. Make a direct phone call to them on occasion. This way when you walk into the room, all of that initial awkwardness is gone. You can get right at the job at hand and more importantly...it doesn ’ t feel like you are selling them something. It feels more like you are excited to tell them about your idea because you know they are going to be excited too.
- One way to build relationships is to involve the client in on the idea before the scheduled meeting. When we were working on a re-design of a website with WWF Canada, we had a number of stakeholders that we were going to need to sell too. So the approach we took was to get some of those folks in on the idea early on. We called the digital client there and let them know where our head was at. We also took his advice and incorporated it into the presentation. That way when we walked in, we had an ally on our side who felt like the idea was also theirs.
- The same rings true for dreaded production partners. I know it ’ s in your blood to think that the media company is against you, the sampling company doesn ’ t know how to print a logo on a shirt and that the PR company only wants to do “ surveys ” . But the reality is, they exist and there is no better way to get the client on your side by getting buy-in from all of these stakeholders. When you start your presentation with, we ’ ve vetted these ideas through the media company ” there is a collective sigh of relief from your client and one less hurdle they need to do themselves in terms of selling the idea through.
- By building these relationships, you ’ ve know made the meeting personal - which is a good thing. Because when you are meeting each other for the first time, with the PR company in the room etc. Everyone wants to look smart. And how do they look smart by finding fault in something you are presenting. By taking those previous steps, it removes that need as they are part of the idea.
- First impressions count. Even teenagers are writing blogs that look like magazines these days. Spend the extra time to make sure your presentation is sparkly.
- That means replacing lorem ipsum with type that actually makes sense to the brief. Heck - take it a step further and use your client ’ s type face and colours. Even make a word mark for the potential idea you are creating. Like we did here. This isn ’ t a sold idea, this is how we introduced it in the meeting.
- Also have fun with your presentation. Bring the client along by charming them. Adding something unexpected. These were images/names of the actual clients in the meeting. A small touch, but these small touches can break the ice, put clients at ease. I know what you are thinking, but I have 24hrs (if you are lucky) to put this presentation together and 3 ideas. Remember this is your chance. Once you walk out of that meeting, the idea is no longer “ sparkly ” and if it dies there is no resurrecting it. We ’ ve been there!
- No matter what type of idea you are presenting it must seem like the most logical, simple idea to execute.
- Essentially your idea is a solution to the client ’ s problem (the brief). So instead of focusing on the benefits of your idea and how great it is. Start with the pain points. Show empathy for their frustrations and predicament. Now their heart is in it and your idea will seem like the smartest answer possible.
- You knew I couldn ’ t finish this presentation without talking to this point. I see it all of the time, and I don ’ t blame Creative ’ s for feeling this way....
- This is what we think of our ideas. they are our babies. they are beautiful and fragile and need tender care. They are attractive, adorable. And this is what clients think of our ideas:
- Clients are scared of new ideas because they ’ re new. They are unfamiliar and as humans we distrust what we don ’ t know. (PS, I borrow this from Angus who in turn borrowed it from Trevor Beattie, CD of TBWA in London.)
- So don ’ t let the client take your word for it, think about what would be scary to them and have a quotable quote ready to justify the thinking. Not only does it make you seem less defensive, you also have given them a sound bite to sell the idea through to their boss. Don ’ t start a presentation by saying that they will love the work. It ’ s human nature then to say “ Oh we ’ ll see about that ”
- I actually learned this from Terry O ’ Reilly.
- After you present an idea, the client ’ s mind is reeling trying to decipher if it was on brief, if it was logical, if they can convince their boss to move forward with it. So instead of sitting in akward silence, start answering all of those questions without them asking. Explain how you got there, why you made certain decisions, when you can launch, how much it would cost. By eliminating all obstacles now, your idea is still on the table when you walk out that door.