find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

advice, accountability and assistancefor creative businessesadvice, accountability and assistancefor creative businesses

Problem Clients:How to Spot Them and Turn Them Into Good Ones

with Ilise Benun @MMToolboxIllustrations by Iain Keith Murray @IainKeith

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

Business advice, accountability and

assistance exclusively for creative professionals.

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

Word of mouth No bizdev

Vulnerable Can’t say no to

“Problem clients” No time for bizdev

No marketing bad clients

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

Problem clients vs.

Clients with problems

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

Red flag #1: Chaos

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

• External: Chaos in the corporate culture.• Unrealistic demands and expectations.• Internal: No organizational skills or discipline. • Both: no consequences.

What could be happening:

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

1. Give them structure.2. Have a process and enforce it.3. “Yes, but…”

3 things you can do:

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

Red flag #2: No budget

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

• They don’t understand what’s involved and can’t justify the price.

• They’re under a lot of pressure.• They’re penny pinchers.

What could be happening:

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

1. Demonstrate what’s involved.2. Adjust the scope of work.3. Lobby later for “extra budget.”

3 things you can do:

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

Red flag #3: Cluelessness

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

• Younger and younger workforce. • Layoffs == no replacements!• People in jobs they aren’t qualified for.• Higher demands on you.

What could be happening:

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

1. Educate them. 2. Gently insist on including decision-makers.3. Make them your best friend.

3 things you can do:

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

Red flag #4: Disrespect

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

• They have little power.• Office politics.• Frustration on the job.• Problems at home.• General bad attitude.

What could be happening:

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

1. Don’t react emotionally. 2. Don’t take it personally. 3. Don’t jump to conclusions.4. Think about what’s going on for them.5. Be accommodating yet firm.

3 things you can do:

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

• Take time to figure them out.• Listen for what’s really going on.• Shift to their “frequency.”• Be the one who “gets” them.• That’s rare and engenders loyalty.

Handling the “high maintenance”

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

The simple solution

• Strong positioning.• Proactive marketing.• Full pipeline.• Process for weeding out the duds.

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

Ad Age&

Illustrator, Iain Keith Murray @IainKeith

Thank you

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

www.creativeguidetomoney.com

www.marketing-pricing-guide.com

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

In the MM Toolbox:

Volume 2Includes:9 new proposals +Best Practices Checklist

find us: marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.find us: Marketing-Mentor.com + @MMToolbox © 2014 Marketing Mentor, Inc.

Ilise Benun

• Mentor and business coach tocreative agencies/professionals

• Host/Co-Producer of “Creative Business” track of HOW Design Live

• Author of 7+ books

• ilise@marketing-mentor.com

• (201) 653-0783