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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nListen to Understand, Not to Reply<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Whether you\u2019re in a meeting with your client face-to-face or dialoguing with them on the phone, through email, or virtual conferencing, there is a certain expectation that you\u2014the designer and service provider\u2014always has to have the answers. So when you listen, you are most likely listening (or scanning the email) at about 75%, while the other 25% of you is thinking about the your next reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some conversations, however, are just that\u2014conversations. There is no expectation other than to just hear what the client is saying and digest it. In those situations, after the client is done talking or when you reach the end of their email, they are really just looking for validation that you heard their thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For instance, if a client is providing unfavorable feedback on a design, your first inclination is probably to think of ways to defend the work. But sometimes a simple, \u201cI understand, let us get back to you with some new ideas,\u201d is far more powerful than any \u201canswer\u201d you could think up on the fly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take Notes (With a Pen and Paper) and Ask Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Being a good listener isn\u2019t about who can sit still and silent the longest. There\u2019s a way to go about being an \u201cactive\u201d listener, and one of the best strategies is to take notes during the time the client is talking. While it may be tempting to do so on your new, cool note-taking app, now is not the time to show off. In fact, it is likely that your client will be more impressed if you show up with just a pen and paper and take some good old fashioned notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Equally as impressive is asking thoughtful questions. This shows you are committed to digging deeper into understanding your client and producing the best possible outcome for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you can see, going back to your grade school days and being a good listener can really increase communication and get you places. Take some time to reflect on how being a good listener has helped your design career, what you think clients like most about working with someone who listens, and how have you shown off your great listening skills as you continue to foster relationships with your design clients.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Listening to your clients is one of those things that\u2019s easier said than done. Sure they write the checks, which means you should be all ears. But then again, they rely on you as the design expert, so it\u2019s also your job to speak up and sound off. In this post, we\u2019ll summarize three of…<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":141519,"template":"","resource-topic":[1396,908],"resource-role":[1397,906,897],"resource-type":[916],"class_list":["post-21603","resource","type-resource","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n