Rule #24

Educate the client whenever possible.

Such an important rule and a fundamental part of my process I use when working with my clients. To explain further, you need to know that this rule was formed early in my career where it was forbidden to tell clients that their understanding of a topic was incorrect. The worry was that the customer was too fragile to be told they were wrong, so their understanding became our understanding, and our work process was informed by an erroneous foundation. When the results didn’t pan out as expected, the client would blame us, fire us, and hire a competitor—in that order.

I have always believed that it is important to bring the client along with you on the marketing journey. Just as it is important to listen to the client and correct your faulty assumptions about their business, you too need to correct them when they demonstrate a behavior or opinion that is inaccurate. If you need to explain your process to them, do it. If you need to demonstrate how a system or program works, you teach them. If their opinion clashes with your informed experience, you explain why.

This approach is an essential component to building an open and trusting relationship with your client. Trust me, if a customer cannot handle a nudge here and there, you don’t want them in your portfolio.