A presentation at NEDcamp in in Providence, RI, USA by Ellen Diamond
Business is Personal New England Drupal Camp Page 1 | Presentation Title Goes Here
What are we talking about We design and build digital experiences that connect with our client’s audience Page 2 | Presentation Title Goes Here
We should be applying those same abilities and techniques with our client relationships Page 3 | Presentation Title Goes Here
You can’t personalize without getting personal Page 4 | Presentation Title Goes Here
” When the trust account is high, communication is easy, instant, and effective. – Stephen R. Covey Page 5 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Why bother? ● ● ● ● ● Easier to have difficult discussions New engagements Positive referrals They will move and take you with them LIFETIME CLIENT Page 6 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Because business is personal Page 7 | Presentation Title Goes Here
How did I get here ○ Page 8 | Presentation Title Goes Here ○
It’s about the service you’re providing and the trust you’re building Page 9 | Presentation Title Goes Here
How do we do that Page 10 | Presentation Title Goes Here
How do we do that Page 11 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Web Personalization The process of delivering tailored experiences to visitors based on their unique preferences, as opposed to providing a uniformed experience for all visitors on the site. Page 12 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Data Collection Page 13 | Presentation Title Goes Here
It still starts with Discovery ● Identifying the audience & develop personas ● Do the same with your clients and stakeholders ○ ○ ○ Learn what they value, where they’re coming from Demographics What team, what level is their role ● Marketing team ● IT team ● C-Suite Page 14 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Start general; get specific Research is not creepy; it’s good practice 1. 2. 3. 4. What do they bring to this project/phase Where did they come from Where are they in their career How do they communicate (language, communication style) Page 15 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Profile of a profile ● What do they want to gain from this project/engagement? ■ ■ ■ ■ ● Do they want to own something (an achievement) for their department? Do they want to alleviate stress from their team? Do they want to appease a disgruntled board? Do they have secret passion/hobby with Drupal or design and their excited to use this an outlet outside of 9-5 job? What does success mean to them? Page 16 | Presentation Title Goes Here
The Client Journey Page 17 | Presentation Title Goes Here
No creep! ● Remember, you’re taking in more information than you use, but it adds to your understanding of your contact ● The output (additions to communication) does not & should not match the input that you gather Page 18 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Putting it in to practice Page 19 | Presentation Title Goes Here
” Part of communicating with your customers better is catering your messaging technique to how that person prefers to be reached. - Page 20 | Presentation Title Goes Here Catherine Glifford
Language is powerful, but active listening is critical Page 21 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Communication – Method Page 22 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Language – Mirroring “You are literally speaking my language” ● 2008 Study in Journal of Experimental Social Psychology ● Students were assigned to negotiate with other students. ● Those who mirrored others’ posture and speech reached a settlement 67% of the time, while those who didn’t reached a settlement 12.5% of the time. ● This kind of alignment fosters closeness and trust Page 23 | Presentation Title Goes Here https://www.wsj.com/articles/use-mirroring-to-connect-with-others-1474394329
Mirroring - Here’s How ● ● ● ● It has to be genuine It requires engagement & effort Words, acronyms, tone/formality By adopting their norms, you build a shorthand, familiarity, and trust Page 24 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Nuances are small instances of the familiar in your language Page 25 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Empathy ● Be mindful of key dates/milestones ● Awareness/recognition of other external factors ● Small acts of kindness/generosity can have outsize ripples Page 26 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Mindfulness The web is our every day Page 27 | Presentation Title Goes Here For the clients, it’s tiny slice of theirs on top of their everyday jobs
It’s not me; it’s you ● It’s not about becoming BFFs ● It’s about establishing trust with them ● Their knowing you is secondary (and not necessary) Page 28 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Outcome ● Follow your process, the project will be successful ● Follow your process with your client, the relationship will be successful ● If done well, the relationship will feel intuitive and built on a foundation of trust Page 29 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Outcome + Page 30 | Presentation Title Goes Here https://trustedadvisor.com/articles/does-trust-really-take-time Credibility Reliability Intimacy
Make sure your relationships add up Page 31 | Presentation Title Goes Here
Thank You Ellen Diamond | ediamond@oomphinc.com | @ellendiamond oomphinc.com 401-228-7660 | 72 Clifford Street, Providence, RI 02903 Page © 2019 32Oomph, | Presentation Inc. All rights Title Goes reserved. Here
As digital strategists we focus on tailoring web experiences to targeted user groups through the use of empathy, personas, and other personalization techniques. We should be practicing those same skills and tactics on our client relationships. Let’s focus on how you can better understand your audience (your clients!), their needs, communication style, and preferences—and how that knowledge can lead to more effective communications, stronger client relationships, and ultimately more business.
We’ll look at several different tips and practices to better understand and communicate with your clients. UX practices like developing personas can help you develop empathy for them. Doing some research can bring new levels of understanding and context. And employing simple techniques to align your communication style with theirs will help you go from reactions to relationships.
Ellen Diamond has been working in client management for nearly 30 years—in the world of web design, higher-ed fundraising, and gallery management. Ellen regularly leads strategic sessions with Oomph’s clients and mentors Oomph’s project management team on how to be more personally-oriented in their client communications. And to back up her expertise—she’s the two-time recipient of Oomph’s Personal award.
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