Layers

I shake my head every time someone is surprised that putting three layers of management between the client and the person doing the work leads to an outcome unlike what the client had imagined. Let the worker bees talk directly to the client. It's faster, reduces the conversation in general, and makes the client happier because things get done the first time.

Client Types

This was written in 2006, but it still nails the difference in client types.

Your life will be easier the better you get at avoiding grinders in the first place.

Recycling

Sometimes clients are best served by recycling their old content.

While those on the production side would prefer to create (and bill for) a spectacular new project involving helicopters, marching bands and a dozen different effect shots, that may not be in the client's best interest. They probably have something on the shelf that can be freshened up and reused.

Taking the long view, purposely create marketing content where the beginning and end is created for each new use, but the center- the heart of the message- is static and consistent for ever audience. Both parties win: The client gets value out of creating one great package, yet retains the flexibility to shape the message for each new audience, while the producer gets a steady stream of small updates as new uses are found.

Take the long view for both you and your client.

Caring

The client doesn't care about how hard you or I might find the jobs they give us.

They do care if they have asked us to do something that is expensive or time consuming, especially when there is a cheap or fast equivalent.

If you and your client have a good long-term relationship, you will tell them of the cheaper, faster alternative, and even if they don't choose it, telling them will cement your partnership.

If you have a bad relationship with the client, or view each job as an opportunity to squeeze as many dollars out of the client, you build up the easy and cheap to appear hard and expensive. You view the truly hard and expensive not as the opportunity to develop a new skill or be a hero to your client, but as another boat payment.

In business, bad relationships don't last long. If most of your relationships with clients are bad, neither will you.

Peter

Expectations

I must tread carefully to protect the innocent:

A friend repeated a conversation he had with the fellow who runs his unit. There is a couple of layers of management between my friend and Important Man.


Important Man: "How long does it take you to do that thing you normally do?"

Friend: "It varies, but 3-4 hours is a good average."

IM: "I really don't understand why it should take more than 10 minutes. 20 if you are adding music."

Obviously, it's hard to continue the conversation at that point. When the person who signs your paycheck- whether that person is your boss or your client- has no understanding of what you do, you have to wonder how they establish value to your work. If they think your job can be done up to 1200% faster than how you do it, you have to assume there is a bit of wage pressure on your salary or day rate, to say the least. Is a 91% pay cut far behind?

I see and hear it all the time in our business, that managers and clients somehow expect Hollywood quality work to be done in the time it takes to order a cup of coffee, and for the same $4. Yet they fully understand the reason different restaurants, autos, lawyers and houses are priced the way they are. Is the problem that they don't buy enough "video" to understand the range of the market? Are they conditioned by the low cost of the video that flows from their TV?

But my biggest concern is the apparent lack of interest of the Important Men of the world to learn why projects cost what they do. They can fully explain why they drive a Lexus and not a Corolla, but video is and should remain another commodity to be purchased by the 5-gallon bucket at the lowest price-per-pixel.

Client expectations is always a struggle.

Peter