Listen...Can you Hear Me?

Listening vs Hearing.

You can hear someone's voice, but to comprehend, you must LISTEN - actively pay attention to what they are saying.

If you get the words, you have the facts. But did you get the Meaning?

Listening vs hearing comes into play in business dealings, as well as creative meetings.

In either case, remind yourself to listen. Let's say a client is describing what they want for a project. We creative types may be tempted to chime in and say "yes, that's cool but what about this!" Hey, nothing wrong with being excited about a project.

But when you interrupt, you can miss the Meaning. Let the client talk - for hours if that's what they want to do. Take notes, ask questions, but let them get their mind emptied. Chances are, they've been thinking about this project for a while.

Sometimes the meaning is hidden. You need to listen to the words and then figure out the hidden meaning. "I want a DVD to give out at meetings. It should show X, Y and Z."

You say "We can do that. Sounds great."

Or you can listen some more. Find out where they are coming from. What their business or marketing goals are, and maybe you can see how this DVD idea fits into their overall strategy, or even what the ulterior motive is behind giving out the video. Getting vs retaining customers.

In other words, try to Understand not only what your customer wants, but Why they want it. If you can show them that you Get what they are doing, get Excited about it and help them Achieve their goals, then you too can go from merely Getting a customer, to Retaining one.

Just a little business/creative philosophy for your inspiration.

Mike Cohen