Most people have the good sense to not read this blog much anymore. They're all on LinkedIn now.
However, I still get the odd question from folk who believe I know what I'm talking about. Let's be honest folks, experienced people in this industry are as clueless as you are, they have just got better at hiding it.
That said, along the way, I've picked some stuff up that may be of use from time to time, so I thought I'd sometimes share what people have asked and how I responded.
Step forward, let's call him, Steve. He asked what to do when you've started at a new agency and you are in your very first meeting with a new client. How do you impress them and leave them thinking you're a smart guy they'll want to have around?
We'll Steve, I'm sorry to disappoint you but I can't help you because I'm not a smart guy, like I said at the beginning, I'm pretty clueless.
However, I'm kind of OK with this.
It's actually a great place to be. You remember those famous Avis ads where they tried harder because they were number 2? That's me, never the cleverest person in the room, but the person so afraid of being found out, I'm rarely complacent.
Because I'm not smart, I make sure I'm well informed.
That won't be the case in your first client meeting Steve, you just won't have been given chance to know what's going in with their business.
Having worked on a similar client won't help either. If there is one thing that drives clients and agency people alike up the wall, it's the 'When I was working on (insert brand here)" all the time.
So the best way to impress then is to hide your lack of knowledge and keep your trap shut. As they say, best to have people think you're stupid, rather than open your mouth and confirm it beyond all reasonable doubt.
Anyway, you're not there to impress clients, your not their to make them inferior, you;re there to add value.
Now clients, deep down, know that the suits only pretend to be interested in their business, when they really care about maximising the fee income.
They know creatives really want to do work that will get them hired by the agency they really want to be at.
They know the media folks want them to spend more on media than execution, or want to to execute themselves.
They know the PR folks haven't a clue, but can get them tickets for whatever they're into.
Think about most meetings, especially all agency ones. How many people are really listening? How many people are asking genuine questions? Or are they posing leading questions that push the discourse into their agenda?
Clients know all this is going on, you don't get to be head of marketing and secure a decent budget without being able to play the game to a certain degree.
So if you want to impress clients, admit you don't know anything and shut up. When you open your mouth, ask lots of questions that show you want to really understand what drives their business. Without agenda.
You'd be amazed how much clients love someone who is really interested in them.
So many strategists stride in, intent on proving their intellectual superiority. No one likes a smart arse. No one.
Steve, you'll stand out by simply wanting to understand. It worries me that you're just intent on looking clever, I hope I'm wrong.
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