Before you decide to work with a creative team, particularly on a major project, try your best to meet with prospective candidates in person. More so than a call or video chat, this lets both parties see the other in action.
You get to read each other’s body language. You get to have small talk, which can be the foundation for a (work) friendship. And one of you gets to see where the other works, which obviously can tell you a lot about a person and their organisation. Just as crucially, a face-to-face meeting can set the tone for all that’s to come. Here’s a simple plan to get things going in the right direction.
Be prepared.
Know your goals. Arrive with your creative brief in hand; it will help you to articulate the mission. You should also be ready to discuss similar projects you’ve undertaken and why they were successful – or not. (We often learn more from failure than from success!)
Be optimistic.
Assume success and communicate that assumption. I’m told optimism is as contagious as a sneeze. (Gesundheit!)
Be transparent.
Tell us everything – even the bad stuff, like how the approval process might be a bit of an obstacle course. Tell us what you know about the timeline and budget too – and the flexibility around each. The more we understand, the better the odds of success, in both product and process.
Be nice.
Sorry to get all basic human decency on you; this is just one of my things. We’re all busy and stressed, but we’re also all human. So start with a compliment (we, like you, are insecure and needy). You’re obviously considering this particular creative team for a reason. Tell them why. You want them on your side, and knowing that you believe in them will help to get them there. (I know I sound like your mother, but sometimes she did know what she was talking about.)
