We spent the weekend in CT with family, sharing stories of a wonderful life – that of his uncle Ted. While I’d met him only once, I came away from the memorial, which was a six-hour storytelling and singing, seeing several sides of this remarkable person – good and bad.
It was time also to shed last week’s frustrations. I want to thank every one of you for such words of encouragement. It was the cumulative effect of a week’s worth of challenges that had my resolve crumbling at the edges – challenges that all worked out thankfully. I think it’s human nature to doubt – but sometimes the doubt is a sign of a no-win situation in which the problem isn’t yours to fix. Let me explain.
In a few cases, I’ve worked with folks who aren’t necessarily fantastic at their jobs. I’m not always, either (though I hold out that I’ve had my fabulous moments). But when they’re not necessarily adept at their jobs and you are, what do you do? It’s a real dilemma for freelancers and staffers, too – been there in both situations. If you’re a new freelancer, there could be no way of knowing if you’re that bad or they are. But there is a fix, as a freelancing friend once told me (thanks, Bob).
It’s this – ask for help. Go right to that client whose requirements you can’t seem to meet and express your desire to please. That’s right – please. In the end our reputations and our sanity hinge on our ability to adapt and respond to our clients’ needs, not the other way around. And by asking you get the client on your side. Now you have a partner in the project. You have insight into the client’s thought process, and you may have tapped in to some additional client patience as you find your way.
It’s not foolproof, but it’s a good method to unraveling a client’s project, which can help you deliver, please, and cash the check. In fact, I suggest any time a project starts to go awry, ask for help. Clients often see their vision and for some reason, you’re unable to. Get more pointed in your questions, ask more questions, and really listen to the answers.
When have you had situations in which the client is either not up to par, communicating improperly, or hasn’t quite decided what he or she wants? How did you handle it? How could you have handled it better?
7 responses to “Saving the Project”
Asking the right questions is hugely important. Because it is THEIR vision you're trying to project. Sometimes, it simply doesn't work, and you do the best you can, and move on. But at least, you try to give it a really good shot.
Exactly that, Devon. I've had a few projects in which walking away would have been the better choice. We learn the hard way sometimes. 🙂
The worst case is one I mentioned here before: First assignment for a new-to-me publication. Editor assigned a first person piece on handmade holiday gifts. I asked all the right questions, I even turned it in several weeks early to give the editor time to review it and get back to me if it wasn't on the mark. I told her I wanted to do my best to turn out exactly what she wanted. A few weeks later she got back to me saying she wanted something entirely different. Instead of the first person account, she wanted three examples of quick (30 minutes or less) gifts "anyone" could make, and links to websites with instructions. That wasn't remotely what she'd originally assigned, but maybe she'd had a sudden inspiration, so I played along. I explained 30 minutes or less was impossible for decent gifts, so we moved it to an hour. I totally re-did the piece, found three fun and quick projects which she approved. Turned it in. They paid full price. They never sent me a copy, and when I found it online I saw she'd re-written the intro and replaced one of the projects with something really lame.
I did more than most would do to try to please an apparently un-pleasable editor. Curiously enough, I recently noticed she's no longer the editor of that publication.
Sometimes all you can do is all you really can do.
Paula, that sounds more to me like a new assignment. Had you been faster to see that, you could've billed her for that second project. But ce la vie – we've all tried to please and missed things like that.
I'm wondering if there's a planet out of whack with my ju ju. I'm seeing more complaints these last two weeks than ever in my career. I'm really beginning to think that taking some time away from the computer is a good idea…
The one that bugs me the most is a ghostwriting project for a great gal… I've actually done 2 books, each only about 3/4 finished… I've been paid for all the work I've done and she's dropped both books, as near as I can tell, completely. I've done my best at communicating and nothing… so I've mentally let them go. No other choice short of stalking her I guess.
But most clients are great… and this one is too… just can't get her book finished.
Send her the final invoice, Anne. I bet that project takes a front seat after that!
Well, considering the wording of the contract for the article, she could argue it was the same assignment. I believe the description was "800 words, Handmade Holiday Gifts."