WordCamp Austin 2013: The Client Isn’t Always Right by Chris Lema

This will be the last post in my WordCamp Austin 2013 Notes Series. The last presentation I attended at WordCamp Austin 2013 was Chris Lema’s “The Client Isn’t Always Right.” Simply put Chris’s presentation was awesome. The way Chris spoke was so engaging that I didn’t take a whole lot of notes. Nonetheless, here’s what I have:

• Establish Yourself as a Trained Professional. With a dentist or a mechanic the client doesn’t make suggestions on how to fix the problem. The client understands that the dentist/ mechanic is a professional.
• Customer’s Value is on “What” Not “How”. As we progress we tackle harder & harder work. We focus on our own development until we get punched in the face. We focus more on what excites us than what the customer needs.
• Create a Client Filter. (a) What’s your need? (b) What’s your budget? (c) When do you need it?
• Create a Niche. Vertical niches focus on one industry whereas horizontal niches focus on one service which spans industries (i.e shopping cart abandonment).
• Success = “What My Client’s Clients Need.” Not what I want, not what my client wants, & not what my client needs.
• Talk to The Client in Their Own Language. Talk to them in the scope of what their business does or what their client needs.
• It’s OK to Say “NO”. I think this could probably be Chris’s tagline. Nonetheless, it’s really valuable advice to not accept any project or client that comes down the pipeline. It’s better to be selective as that typically yields in both parties being happier.

Tool Recommendations

• Pingdom tools. Test website speed.
• Balsamic Mockups. For screen mockups.
• Genesis & Catalyst. WordPress frameworks.
• Gravity  & Formidable Pro. Forms.

So that wraps it up for my notes from WordCamp Austin 2013. I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I did writing them. Be sure to check out Chris’s amusing presentation slides. Please leave a comment below & let me know what you think.