The most important thing you should do when meeting a client for the first time
Shut up and let your client speak.
It is a natural instinct that tells us: talking about yourself shows how professional you are. Especially talking about how you know and understand technology, internet, social networking, insert your favorite latest internet sensation here. In reality, nothing is further from the truth. The only thing your prospect wants to find out is whether you understand his needs. And unless you convince him of that your fate is doomed.
Why do I write this in a design blog though? Actually the impulse for this post came to me after a meeting between a web designer and a prospective client that I witnessed the other day. During over an hour that I was there the designer hasn’t stopped talking. I imagine the client must have been delighted when given a chance to throw “ahah” into the “conversation”.
Instead of finding out important information about clients plans for the site the designer kept on bragging about himself and all the internet crap you can think of.
Was the client happy? I pretty much doubt it.
Was the designer happy? I suppose he was actually proud of himself. In his mind he showed professionalism. Mainly by shifting between javascript, twitter and all the stuff his client doesn’t care about, very often in a single sentence.
Was the client interested in all that? Possibly, but I imagine he was more interested in telling the designer why he needs a website and what aim it is supposed to achieve.
So what was the designer supposed to do?
Shut up and let the client speak. He should have sit there and find out about clients plans. What his company does, what expectations does the client have for his website. He should have gathered links to clients direct competition, also links to sites that the client likes.
Initial meeting is not about you, it is not about how well you know the latest internet/social networking trends either. It is about convincing the client that you understand his plans and needs. And that you can deliver those.
And the best way to achieve that is to shut up, listen and ask questions only if you don’t know something.
Excellent and very educational article. My business is relatively new and this is one big part that I am working to get better at. I feel that I listen fairly well, but the way to communicate back and forth after is a challenge. We are trying out Jing as a means to communicate our ideas in a more clear way.