The Ripple Effect: Making a New Client on the Job

One of our favorite phrases at Allied is, “Don’t talk about it. Be about it.” How much one follows through on their word reveals a lot about their character. Whether it’s a small agreement between friends or a signed commitment with a client, your ability to deliver what you promised is of the utmost importance. While being as good as your word is a reward in and of itself, sometimes you get lucky and others take notice. Sometimes that luck can lead to work and you make a new client while working with another.

A moment from our production in Boston last fall. We had the pleasure of working with this company again last December, in Florida.

Show Up and Set the Example

There are a lot of steps in the process of acquiring a new client. From making that initial contact to signing the agreement, there are many factors that can make or break the deal. Sometimes a good demo reel can land you a client all by itself. It is, after all, an example of your proven work. But there is a difference between watching a video that is actively trying to convince you and seeing an example of the work being done in front of you.

While the final deliverable product is the most important goal of any project, don’t underestimate the value of how you get to that destination. We made several clients last year who were participants in a previous production and the main response as to why they chose us? “I just like the way your crew works.” Whether it was our efficiency, our planning, or simply how we interact with people, it caught someone’s eye and paid off in the future.

I think that’s what attracted these clients the most, how we treated the people around us. Last year, we interviewed one of the most respected doctors in all of China as well as people off the street about their thoughts on the homeless population in their community but there was no difference in how we handled those subjects. We treated them all with the same respect and care about what their thoughts were on their given topic. If someone sees the care and respect you show while doing something as small as putting a mic on a subject, they know that same care and respect will go into their project.

The Mackinac Bridge, one of the most prominent landmarks in our home of Michigan. We traveled to Mackinac Island many times last year and picked up a new client in the process.

Recognize Who That Potential Client Could Be

Now the simple answer to this is that the client could potentially be anyone, and that is true. But as your business grows and the clientele with it, you’ll find yourself looking for a specific type of client, not just anyone. Don’t let these differences change your approach to how you handle people but if you spot someone who could be a client, more so your client, go ahead and start a conversation with them.

You don’t want these conversations to come off as a pitch so keep it casual at first. Ask about their day, their involvement with the project or company, their commute to the location, anything that’s innocuous in terms of probing for a job. Once that level of comfort is established then you can go into the specifics as to what they do and what their business does. The more information they give in these conversations, the more comfortable they are talking to you and you’ve already taken a big step towards working with them in the future.

Knowing what to expect from your client and vice versa will prepare you for anything on set.

If They Want to Work with You, They’ll Approach You

What might be a universally disliked experience is being sold on something. You may have buyer’s remorse because you bought a product or service based off a flashy commercial, celebrity endorsement, or a phony testimonial, something that sold you but didn’t live up to the hype. While nobody likes to be sold, almost everyone loves to be impressed. If you leave that lasting impression on a prospective client, they will come to you about a collaboration.

When you get that first contact, exceed that example you set during production with your communication. Show your interest in the project’s goals before you try to talk or think about numbers. They want to work with you, don’t talk yourself out of a deal by going right into its cost. Maybe the project you first met on was larger in scale than the one they had in mind, maybe it was smaller. While you want to communicate that your effort will be the same no matter the scale and scope, you don’t want to set an expectation of similar results.

Another behind-the-scenes look at one of our productions last year. Client interaction is pivotal when you’re in between takes.

Remember That They’re Not Just Buying Your Service, They’re Buying YOU

In conclusion, our biggest takeaway from these interactions is that the example you set goes beyond quantifiable facts and figures. Today’s consumer is more informed than ever. All of the information and research they could want is right at their fingertips. They could very easily make a decision based off that information but don’t underestimate the value of the human element to your business.