Photo by skidrd

If you’re selling your creative services, one of the most frustrating (and dangerous) phrases your client can tell you is, “I’ll know when it’s right.” That means your mission isn’t simply to creating something amazing, it’s also to read the mind of your client and discern what they think they’re asking for. The end result is a lot of aggravation by everyone – no one quickly got what they needed.

The better way to is to create a tightly written creative brief. The brief describes the client’s problem, needs, resources, assumptions, and measurable goals. Most people don’t write a brief thinking it’ll take too long (or they don’t have the budget for it). Writing a brief is hard work, and does require solid proactive thinking. It may also require a different set of skills than either you or your client have – a marketing strategist. A strategist can tease out the various needs (both short-term and long-term) and get team agreement.

The creative brief allows everyone to judge choices and outcomes using a objective yardstick. Instead of trying to please someone’s inner judge, it becomes much simpler to see what’s the best option. Often, the best solution isn’t immediately obvious (or loved). It may be too radical, too simple, too expensive, too risky. A person who’s risk-averse might not naturally accept the solution, even if it matches all the specifications/needs described in the brief. The thing that most clients pay attention to is “how does it make me feel?” The right thing they should pay attention to is, “how does it make my clients feel?” They’re the ultimate judge of what works (and why).