Clients Who Bait and Switch
Business
We’ve all experienced the dreaded “bait and switch”. Every once in a while, after a project has been greenlighted and deliverables have started to be made, a client suddenly wants to articulate a certain message or persona that wasn’t inherently clear in the creative development process. This might look like nitpicking creative that’s long been approved, or asking for a less-polished end product to manage optics, and it's a frustrating position for any creative in our industry. In this episode, we unpack the red flags that lead to a “bait and switch”, and discuss our own processes for ensuring the client and creative team are on the same page.
Whether intentional or not, sometimes a client is disingenuous about the end goals of a project. For whatever reason, they are not upfront with their initial objective, and massage the creative process through nitpicking and endless revisions to achieve an end product that is decidedly different from what was agreed upon.
In situations like these, it’s the job of the creative to advocate for their team, and explain to the client why nitpicking creative or playing it safe doesn’t serve their audience, and doesn’t serve their message. This is a tricky situation to be in, and it takes experience to successfully explain to a stubborn client why being upfront allows you to build them the product they need. This week, we share our own experiences with the dreaded client “bait and switch”, and break down how we work towards a successful end goal when confronted with these situations.
