When Clients Want to Change Your Creative Vision: Finding the Balance

We've all been there. You've poured your heart into a project, crafted something you're genuinely proud of, and then the client wants changes that feel like they're butchering your beautiful work. It's soul-destroying, isn't it? The good news is you're not alone in feeling this way, and there are strategies to help you navigate these tricky waters without losing your sanity.

This question was answered by Olivia Gatt, Creative Director at Scooter, and Martine Beaumont, founder and CEO of Select Wellness and Select Counsellors. The discussion was hosted by Andy Wright, founder of Never Not Creative.

The Mental Reset: "I've Got 100 More Ideas"

Olivia shares a brilliant mental trick that's helped her bounce back from creative disappointment: telling herself "all good, I've got 100 more ideas." This simple phrase does something powerful to your brain. It resets your confidence and puts the critique in perspective.

"What that does to my brain, it kind of resets it. And it gives myself a confidence boost," Olivia explains. Remember, there could be a hundred reasons why your idea didn't land. Maybe the brief was wrong, maybe someone was having a bad day, or maybe there was miscommunication along the way. It's not always about your work or the love you put into it.

Take Clients on the Journey

One of the most effective ways to avoid crushing disappointment is to ditch the big reveal approach. Olivia credits Scooter with teaching her this valuable lesson: "If we take the client along for the journey, by the end of by the time we get to the presentation where we're sharing our idea or our brand, the client expects it because they've been on that pathway with us."

This collaborative approach means showing ideation phases and having structured check-in points. By the presentation, it's not a surprise unveiling but rather a "yes, that's what we made together" moment. You build rapport and camaraderie with the client instead of setting yourself up for potential heartbreak.

The Paradoxical Theory of Change

Martine introduces a fascinating concept from therapy that works brilliantly with stubborn clients. "The more you join with someone and fully understand and inhabit their reality, which you might not agree with, the more likely they are to shift and consider your reality."

Instead of fighting against their perspective, really dig into their thinking. Ask questions like "what was your thinking there?" and "where's this coming from?" This gives them space to be looser with their own concepts rather than creating an adversarial "your idea versus their idea" situation.

The Reality of Compressed Communication

Andy highlights a crucial challenge: you're trying to communicate three or four weeks of work in a one or two-hour meeting. "How can you possibly hope that you're going to be able take someone on that journey through such a compressed amount of time?"

This is why the collaborative approach works so much better. While the adrenaline rush of a successful big reveal can be incredible, the collaborative method gives you a much higher success rate and gets your work approved more consistently.

Managing Mixed Audiences

Olivia points out another common challenge: presenting to rooms full of people with different priorities. "50% want to hear one thing, 50% want to hear the other thing." The executive might only care about profit while someone else wants to feel emotionally connected to the brand.

Good account management can help here, ensuring you know who's in the room and what they care about. But when you've taken clients on the journey, you'll already understand these nuances and know which boxes need ticking for different stakeholders.

Remember, being a creative person is exhausting work. You pour your heart and soul into ideas, and rejection can genuinely hurt your feelings. But with these strategies, you can protect your wellbeing while still fighting for good work. Sometimes you need to pick your battles, but you don't have to feel defeated every time a client wants changes.

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