Business and Dating

We’ve all experienced dating. Waiting for the phone to ring, sharing your dislikes and likes, having open communication, and just plain manners. Well I bet you’ve never thought dating dilemmas could apply to work situations. Listed below are 5 dating scenarios with solutions that can be used at the work place or even on your next date.

Is my phone on?

After a date has gone really well we wait with anticipation for the next one to take place. We check our phone over and over for any missed calls or text messages. Some may even go as far to call themselves just to make sure their phone is still working. Well, sitting around at your desk waiting for a client to call you back can be the same way. Whether we are waiting approval on an ad or have a question answered, we sit and wait and wait and sometimes wait some more. The best way to handle a non-responsive client is to pick up the phone yourself and call. Yes, we can give them the benefit of the doubt that they are extremely busy and maybe calling you back slip their mind. But when you do call, don’t be afraid to sound pushy or too needy. Take control of the situation and try to make contact with the client. Use all means of communication. If the client doesn’t answer, leave a message and follow up with an email. Persistence by being respectful is the key.

Does this outfit look good on me?

Ladies, you know you ask this and Men, we know you hate to hear it. So what happens when a client shows you their “ensemble” and you just aren’t crazy about it? You must be delicate. Be honest but take their feelings into consideration. Take a piece of what they are presenting you and play up the qualities and say something like “This ad would look really great with what you are saying, especially if we just change the positioning.” This way you aren’t totally neglecting their “taste” but helping to modify it and making it better for them. They can still feel a part of the creative process but you can use your design expertise to make that ad stand out. Ladies, like ads, just love to grab your attention.

Performance failure?

So you’ve had some great dates and now it’s time to invite them back to your place. But what happens when you’ve built this night up in your head and there is performance failure? RELAX! Don’t freak out. Yes it happens to everyone. Here’s how to cope when a clients campaign isn’t performing up to par. Explain what you think happened. Be honest and up front. Lay out all the factors that came into place. Talk it over and try to figure out the next solution. Maybe take the ad campaign a little slower and not try to rush into everything all at once. Before you know it, everything will be performing splendidly.

Go dutch?

You’ve had a great dinner and just finished a bottle of wine and the check arrives. Who grabs it first and do you go halvsies? Money can be a hard topic to discuss so how do you handle it when discussing it with clients? Be up front. The old saying is “time is money and money is time.” The last thing you want to do is spend endless amounts of your valuable time on something that is not going to pay out. The same goes for the client. They are taking an investment into your work and want to see it pay off. They don’t want to pour loads of cash into a project that won’t have them hearing “cha-ching” ringing in their ears. In a business relationship there is always room for negotiating. Don’t be afraid to stick to what you are worth. Be fair and equal and don’t get taken advantage of.

My friend, told your friend, who told me…

Ah gossip. Rumors spread quick and by the time it reaches your ear the story has changed 10 times. What to do? Confront the client. It’s best to hear things directly from the person you deal with. Just calmly discuss the client’s needs with them so you can get all the facts up front. This will give you a better understanding of what direction the client would like to go with their ad or what concerns they may have about the task at hand. It’s always best to have open communication with your client. It gains respect and a great relationship.

Now, go get’m tiger!