Talk Human to Me: Talking Tech Without Alienating Clients

Do your clients understand what you do… really? More importantly, do they understand your value and how their site (and CMS) supports their business goals? Your ability to clearly communicate with clients and prospects can make-or-break a project! In this session, you’ll learn different ways to discuss technical, web and CMS concepts in ways that resonate with clients. EE veteran Lea Alcantara will share real-world conversations with confused clients, and offer practical strategies for clearing up that confusion. Learn how to communicate the value you add to your clients’ businesses by bringing your dev conversations down to Earth!

Transcript

1. Talk Human to Me Talking Tech Without Alienating Clients for EE CONF 2017
2. https://youtu.be/opqIa5Jiwuw
3. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Spoiler Alert! • Download This Presentation Now:
 abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman • Reach Out!
 info@abrightumbrella.com & @abrightumbrella • Follow Me Personally
 @lealea 
4. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Story Time! N
5. lea@abrightumbrella.com
8. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Focusing on the Client Benefits You! N
9. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman A Clear Way to Reiterate Your Value L
10. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Focus on: 
 Business Needs u
11. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Questionable needs:
 Not all client requests are actually necessary ~
12. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman ROI U
13. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman • Help your business grow • Help you build a reputation • Find clients
14. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Technical Strengths 
 != Business Strengths* * It can be, but probably not in the way you think! It depends!
15. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman CEOs & Decision Makers Y
17. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Hidden needs:
 Clients don’t know what they don’t know or need #
18. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Picture Your Last Large Purchase AKA PUT YOURSELF IN YOUR CLIENT’S SHOES x
19. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Translate What You Do IN TERMS CLIENTS Understand -
20. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman • In terms of branding • In terms of time savings • In terms of cost savings • In terms of removing headaches • In terms of ROI 
21. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Can you explain the decisions to yourself?
22. https://youtu.be/opqIa5Jiwuw
23. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Understand Your Client Better N
24. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Analogies that Worked for Us .
25. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Use metaphors/analogies that they would understand • For example, if they're a builder, we'd use a metaphor about home building. • If you can be specific to their industry, you are also demonstrating your understanding of their business which demonstrates your value further
26. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Don’t limit analogies to just the design & dev • How about your process? • How custom a solution or pre-built? • Budgets!
27. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman How Does this Relate to CMSs? N
29. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Remove this Dangerous Client Misconception
30. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman CMSs are an IT Decision
31. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Focusing on the Client Benefits You! N
32. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Nonprofits The right CMS can help increase donations
33. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Higher Ed A CMS can help you offer real-time course catalogs for students to download
34. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Business Quickly generate landing pages for marketing campaigns
35. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman More Sample Benefits
36. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Staff & Users • Don’t lose work: multiple revisions • Less confusion & headache: live previews • Content first: tech should fit your priorities
37. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman You are the client’s development partner, not an extension of their mouse or keyboard 4
38. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman More Story Time! N SAMPLE CONVERSATIONS
39. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman IT Department
40. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Content Strategist
41. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman How do you talk about content management systems from a non-web perspective?
42. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman First find out how the web fits in their overall business: • Is their website their primary marketing & business-building tool? • Is their site mostly for brand & reputation management?
43. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman First find out how the web fits in their overall business: • Is their site to save cost & admin time? • All of the above?
44. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman These different scenarios directly affect content management software choices, & also implementation!
46. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Clearing Up Confusion N
47. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Start with the Right Conversation .
48. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Try not to use industry terms with clients. DON’T FEED THEM ACRONYM SOUP
49. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Have a better kick-off! SET THE RIGHT TONE FROM THE START!
50. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Assumptions can lead to project miscommunication & failure • Project mishaps • Loss of reputation • Loss of business
51. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Continue the Conversation! .
52. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Ways to Continue: • Regular check-ins that outline the points you mentioned • A glossary if necessary: Google doc or Basecamp text
53. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Ways to Continue: • Repeat yourself throughout an engagement. Communicate often! • Ask follow-up questions to requests!
54. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Tricky Conversations N SHARE WITH ME
55. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman • In terms of branding • In terms of time savings • In terms of cost savings • In terms of removing headaches • In terms of ROI 
56. abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman Talk Human to Me! • Download This Presentation Now:
 abrightumbrella.com/talkhuman • Reach Out!
 info@abrightumbrella.com & @abrightumbrella • Follow Me Personally
 @lealea 