Yes, you read that correctly. We’ve all had them – the clients who expect you to bend over backwards, to drop everything at the last minute and rush to their side, the ones who change their minds a million times and still aren’t happy with the final product. Dealing with impossibly demanding clients isn’t fun for anyone. To be frank, it’s a pain in the neck. And while the thought of planning a corporate event for a client who’s notoriously difficult to work with may have you running for the hills, hold up.
As stressful as the experience may be, it’s the difficult clients who shape truly great corporate event planners.
We’ve all heard the saying that “a diamond is formed under pressure”, right? Well, the adage also applies to corporate event planners who survive the process of appeasing their more challenging clients. In fact, they don’t only survive, they thrive.
Here’s how onerous clients make you a better corporate event planner:
You learn the art of compromise
Without some flexibility on your part, you stand the chance of losing the client (and the money that comes with the project). By meeting difficult clients in the middle, you’ll become adept at compromising – a trait that will serve you well not only in a professional capacity but in a personal one too.
You become a master communicator
The only way to improve your communications skills is by communicating. Sounds simple, and it is. As they say, practice makes perfect, which is why liaising with a difficult client is the perfect training ground for communicating effectively.
You become more goal-oriented
The one thing you have in common with a difficult client? The shared goal of a successful corporate event. While you may not agree on certain aspects of the process (or any), you will agree on the importance of reaching this goal. In other words, the goal is all that matters. Striving to achieve it – whether or not you get on with the client – will highlight the importance of focusing on the end result, instead of nitpicking over the challenges involved.
You learn to mirror
This potent psychological tactic involves “mirroring” your tone of voice, speech patterns and body language to match those of the person you’re communicating with. Mirroring owes its efficacy to the fact that matched communication styles result in each person being more receptive to the other. It’s a life skill that will serve you in all sorts of situations, from negotiating with a supplier, to helping your significant other feel heard.
You learn to say no (without feeling guilty)
Saying yes to every single client request achieves two things (and none of them are good). You present yourself as a doormat, and therefore get taken advantage of, and you lose control of the event planning process. As such, saying no to unreasonable demands is crucial in order to pull off a successful corporate event. It also shows clients that you know what’s best for the event, even if it means saying no.
We’re experts at working with all manner of clients. We’ll help you to orchestrate a corporate event that’s smooth sailing for everyone involved. Get in touch to find out how we can assist you.
