Its All About the Client
Different
Every team member had a different relationship with their client. Some seemed to work well together and others had some rough spots.
#1
The number one thing I learned is that the client is the most important. This does not mean that the client should have whatever they want. It's about learning and knowing what the client needs. Listening to the client when working is so very important.
They know what they do the best.
They know their mission the best.
They know who they help the best
Open Mind
Having an open mind to everything they say will help the work best reflect the non-profit. Realizing that they are not criticizing your work is important. Their corrections are to modify the work to really fit with their organization.
For example, in some of the first batches of copy, we used the word dyslexic to describe the kids at The New Community School. After talking to our client we learned that:
Dyslexic (just like special needs) has negative connotations
A school for dyslexia could turn people away because they want a normal school
Dyslexic is a term for a reading, writing, and spelling difficulty
Each child struggles with different things
Not every dyslexic child is right for TNCS
Some children who are not labeled 'dyslexic' are right for TNCS
This was something we had to learn from our client. Being aware that the client is a vital source of information is key to producing relevant and effective work.
