Comments on: The Death of Team Versacorp: The Risks of Skipping the Needs Assessment http://www.whitepapersource.com/writing/needsassessment/ The source for writing and marketing white papers Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:38:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Kate Headen http://www.whitepapersource.com/writing/needsassessment/#comment-6367 Kate Headen Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:34:01 +0000 http://www.whitepapersource.com/writing/needsassessment/#comment-6367 I have been very surprised at the number of clients who want to hire me and have me create a finished product out of thin air. When I was a rookie I used to have clients say things like "We are too busy to give you this information," and "If you need me to tell you, why am I paying you?" When these hair-pulling, frustrating assignments were finally over I got lukewarm reviews from these clients, who apparently think that "magician" and "mind-reader" are part of my job description too. Now I make sure that clients understand THEIR responsibility to the project before we even strike an agreement. Managing your client is one of the easiest skills to overlook and can be the most deadly to your success. I have been very surprised at the number of clients who want to hire me and have me create a finished product out of thin air. When I was a rookie I used to have clients say things like “We are too busy to give you this information,” and “If you need me to tell you, why am I paying you?” When these hair-pulling, frustrating assignments were finally over I got lukewarm reviews from these clients, who apparently think that “magician” and “mind-reader” are part of my job description too.

Now I make sure that clients understand THEIR responsibility to the project before we even strike an agreement. Managing your client is one of the easiest skills to overlook and can be the most deadly to your success.

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