How to decide if a client is right for you
Melissa Blum , CEO and founder of M.T. Deco.
A major learning curve in building M.T. Deco has been identifying which clients are the right fit and which ones are not. When you jump from a corporate job to your own company, there is a moment of panic [re: many moments of panic] that all revenue comes directly from you. Suddenly you go from being a cog among many wheels to becoming the head of sales, production, strategy, PR, digital, etc. all at once. It’s both exhilarating and terrifying.
For me, that fear manifested into saying yes to all client opportunities. My career had been entirely in media up until that point, so I wanted to test out my strategy work on other industries. But if I’m being fully honest, another incentive was to try and make more than the salary I had at NBC. It was some stupid challenge I put on myself to prove my self-worth, and it was that misguided goal that landed me in a number of less than ideal contracts.
Now that I’ve had a couple years of experience, I have qualifiers I run through when I consider onboarding a new client. I’m sharing them here with you in the hopes they will help you avoid getting stuck like I have. Digital strategy is the example I am using here because it’s our core business, but the approach applies across industries, and to both independent and corporate entities. Your “client” can be your boss, another department, on-air talent, etc. And your specialty can be PR, marketing, production, graphics, design, etc.
Above all else, a client must be a partner - potential clients need to understand that when it comes to digital strategy -- or any kind of creative collaboration -- it is a partnership. This type of strategic thinking isn’t limited to digital strategy, rather it’s a fundamental way of ensuring that you identify the value of the work you do, even in micro ways, to help build your personal brand. Obviously you have less control over projects when you are within a corporate structure, but it’s good to use this approach as a way to shape relationships and pursue internal, or external projects, in a mindful and productive way.
The first step in any collaboration is to make sure your client understands the scope and the involvement required on their part up front. For example, when we embark on a digital strategy, there is often a misconception about the workflow for producing content. Oftentimes clients think this work can be outsourced, when in reality they need to be fully engaged and creating themselves while the digital team brings it to life in the most powerful ways possible. We make sure this is crystal clear before even moving to a proposal for potential clients.
Once you’re on the same page regarding workload, here’s how to weigh the pros and cons of a potential client [or internal + external entities in a corporation]:
Will they help you evolve your skill set and offerings? If a client is in an industry that you haven’t worked with before, or if they have an issue you know you could tackle, but might not have first-hand experience with, be brave, charge them appropriately [aka at a discount given limited experience] and challenge yourself! As much as doing this brings on massive anxiety, it always ends up working out, from helping to develop new offerings to generating even more clients
Are they a high-profile individual or a well-known brand? It’s always good to have at least some clients that are more widely known. It validates the work that you do and helps tremendously when it comes to pitching to future clients. Bonus if they’re willing to publicly support and acknowledge your work since they oftentimes have significant social followings of their own that can drive back to you
Could they be a feeder to more and consistent clients? If a client has their own clients, for example, or are part of an agency where they interface with a lot of types of talent, that can be a huge advantage for helping you bring in more and consistent clients. I try to have at least 1-2 feeder clients in the mix at all times
Are they a short-term or long-term client? When we first work with a client, we usually kick off with a three-month contract. This allows us to get to know one another and provides an “out” if the situation isn’t the right fit. After that, we typically shift into a retainer phase for six to 12 months at a time, always with the opportunity to reevaluate and add/tweak services. When considering a potential client, think through their lasting potential and pitch accordingly. The ideal situation is that you set up the strategy and keep them on retainer for execution as long as possible [also known as anchor clients].
While this is specific to digital strategy, it can certainly be tweaked for just about any creative collaboration. The takeaway is to be strategic about what you bring to the table, give them a taste and then demonstrate how you can provide value over time. Don’t give everything away too quickly, play the long game and provide new offerings as you go
Of course there are always exceptions, but going through this list is incredibly helpful when deciding who we want to work with. Remember, your time is valuable and whoever you end up working with should agree that you’re worth the investment and partnership.