Creator's Block #48: Speaking Creative to Non-Creatives [Podcast]

For this week's episode, we were joined by a very special guest -- Vin Gaeta, IMPACT's Creative Director -- for deep dive into something we’ve touched upon before in a number of previous episodes. (Most recently, Episode #40 - When Creative Projects Go Off the Rails.)

The idea of "speaking creative" to non-creatives.

Or, more simply, the art giving and receiving feedback on creative projects to and from stakeholders. Whether they're clients or other internal colleagues, the people we collaborate with may not always know how to clearly articulate why they do -- or don't -- like something we've created, or that they want something to change.

Having the ability to bridge these communication barriers is probably one of the most important skills marketing creative professionals can possess. 

That's why we spent this episode with Vin discussing our experiences, as well as what you should (and shouldn’t) do to become a master communicator on creative projects. 

(And we have the "battle scars" to prove it.)

Enjoy!

Listen to the Episode

What We Talked About

• Why does this happen?
• What kind of friction does this communication gap create in projects?
• What are the most important points of communication to manage in a creative project timeline?
• Why is taking the time to explain your process to clients so important?
• What are the consequences of not fixing it?
• What are ways we, as marketing creatives, can bridge this communication gap when working clients? 
• What shouldn't we do?
• What about those clients who are too afraid to hurt your feelings to give you honest feedback?
• How can we use these opportunities to identify unhealthy client-agency relationships?
• What does the word "unctuous" mean? 
• And, finally, are you #TeamCheese or #TeamSun?

Resources We Discussed

• Book: The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister
• 23 Places Where the Konami Code Lives On
• Liz the Expert Cheeseologist 

We Want to Hear from You!

First, subscribe to Creator's Block on Apple Podcasts. Second, have a question or an idea for a future episode of the podcast? Let us know! 

• Creator's Block: Twitter, Instagram
• Jessie-Lee: Twitter, Instagram
• Marcella: Twitter, Instagram
• Liz: Twitter, Instagram
• Vin: Twitter, Instagram

Or, you can leave us a comment below! Until next week...