Have you ever had a client request services from you that don’t seem adequate? You know what they really need to achieve their goals is something more. How do you get that across without sounding like you’re trying to take them for a ride?
Recently, I had a client who asked for a tri-fold brochure to promote their products to a large customer. That customer provided a huge chunk of change annually, and my client was trying to win the next year’s contract.
I asked if they had photos of their products and she said yes, on her lead project manager’s phone. Since I think in food analogies, right away, I had this feeling that my client was proposing a paper plate when we should use fine porcelain. I knew my suggestions would mean more time and money, but I also felt her idea of creating a tri-fold brochure wouldn’t send the right message. Her business is all about quality.
Because of the contract’s importance, I recommended that what my client really needed was a brochure that would showcase her product in all its glory. My plan would bring in a professional photographer who would create amazing photos to fill a multi-page piece, with short and sweet descriptions written by an experienced writer.
What we needed was porcelain, not a paper plate.
My client wanted to know how we would create the high-quality brochure in four to six weeks before the contract interview. We did a quick timeline. Then I called on a photographer, writer, and printer in my network. The schedule worked, and we successfully completed the project.
Sometimes a paper plate IS all you need. But when your gut tells you to go for the porcelain, dig in and do it right!