Showing posts with label Expert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Expert. Show all posts

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Coping when clients will not take your advice

"As anyone who consults to brands via an agency or consultancy can tell you, companies often hire experts... and then don't follow the experts' advice."1


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="240" caption="Don't Do That by jemsweb, on Flickr"]Don't Do That by jemsweb, on Flickr[/caption]If you're considering a career in... hell, just about anything; get used to the aforementioned fact. It will happen. And a heck of a lot more often than you expect.

It happens to editors when authors balk at their suggestions. It happens to designers when clients insist that they get rid of all that wasted space. It happens to brokers when clients want to hold onto a stock for sentimental reasons. It happens to waiters, plumbers, doctors, trainers... everyone. And it's not changing anytime soon.

So how do you cope? Start by accepting it. Develop a "I'd advise against that course of action for these reasons, but it's your money" script. It'll largely go unheard, so you'll want to find a way to fix it in something a bit more tangible than a conversation. Email is good.

And don't get cocky: You could be wrong. You're a fool if you think you understand your clients' business, intent, desires and goals better than they do. Granted, you may understand the landscape and environment better than they, but don't confuse the two.

And develop a thick skin. Sometimes you're being paid to be a comfort to someone. To make them feel like they've gone through the motions by asking your advice, then ignoring your advice. Don't take it personal. You were compensated for the delivery of the advice. That's enough of a reward. If they actually follow your advice, that's just icing on the cake.

But don't be complacent. Sometimes, wrong is just wrong. Wrong tends to be cloaked in statements like this: "I don't care how shitty it looks. If it gets the phone to ring, it works!" Your clients expect you to point out when their short-term goals may displace more important longer term goals, or when the measured outcome doesn't match with their prior stated objectives. If they are caught up in the moment, you must remain objective.

Finally, make sure you're in the right relationship with your client. You know if it's not working out. You know when it's past the point where neither of you are getting what you need. You know when it's time to walk away. Of course, knowing when it's time and actually acting on that is another thing all together.

So take my advice... please?

1 - Taken from a post by B.L. Ochman. She writes on a variety of really smart topics in the social and digital space. If you're not reading her, you should.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Being an Expert Is Time-Sensitive

Example of Old\New on a studebaker
Remember when you hung out your very own "expert" shingle? Oh, there's no doubt that you deserved it. You knew as much -- if not more -- on the subject than anyone around you. And when the topic of your expertise came up, people immediately thought of you.

You received payment for the work you did for clients. And you did amazing things for clients. They referred other clients to you, and your expertise was further recognized and validated. You made ends meet and created a successful -- if not profitable -- business venture. Well done.

Or maybe you took a job with a company. They hired you as The Expert or An Expert, and you worked diligently on projects and ideas for your clients. Those clients loved the work you did for them, and your company received great referral business, solidifying you and them as true experts in the field. The company made money, you drew a steady paycheck, and life was good.

But that was last year, when you were the expert.

While you were busy being an expert, your expertise expired.

Unless your expertise is in something like Great Opera Singers of the 12th Century -- and maybe not even then -- the game is changing constantly. The milieu isn't today what it was 12 months ago. And if you're in an emerging or highly volatile field, that could be 12 weeks.

While you were busying being an expert, your skills lapsed. While you were busy being an expert, the platform moved. While you were busy being an expert, outside changes impacted your field. You didn't notice. And now you're an expert at outdated concepts.

Stay fresh.

If you're spending 100% of your time on billable work, you have no time to keep abreast of the changes in your field. If the company you work for has you cranking out paying work 40+ hours a week, then they are letting your expertise lapse, and you're becoming a limited time offer.

Cut back on the work and make time for what many professional organizations call continuing education. Attend and speak at conferences. Read publications. Try new things. Connect with other experts in your field. Connect with experts in related fields. Become part of the community.

If that means you have to raise your billable hourly rate to make up for the lost income -- do it. If that means you have to demand your employer reduce your doing-work to give you room for learning-work -- do it.

The consequences of not doing it? You cease to become the expert, and your value effectively drops to zero. And who wants to put "I used to be an expert" on a resume?

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