GDE730 – Week 4

This week I have been making some real progress with the business plan. I am aware that on the official assignment timeframe scale that the business plan should be technically done by the end of this week, but I had no idea what I was doing for the first two weeks and Ive had to live through a restructure at work, and Ive had surgery this week… so no it will not be done by the end of week. However I am feeling more positive about it, I have also started to think about the studio practice part of the assignment and how I need to look at branding my studio, so the pens and paper have come out this week.

This week I have been watching the client is not your enemy from the reading list. Here are my notes from this:

• become more valuable to your client
  • get referrals and be happier
• define a goal – what is the clients goals for the project.
  • define this before the designing happens
  • ask questions to define the goal – outcome style, location etc.
• ‘Happy ears’ – defined as you hear what you want to hear
  • start promoting active listening
    • Asking is more important than talking
• Embrace and Pivot
  • face the same direction as the client not away from them
• “MAKE IT BIGGER” – The phrase from clients that causes confrontation
• Ask why three times – always works in getting to the root of the issue
• work out NEEDS VS WANTS
• DONT blindside the client with big questions
  • ie WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO HIRE ME
• Once the client says YES, shut up
• If the client says NO, ask why?